Correspondence
by atokkota
Summary: It started as a letter of concern and it became a journey of discovery. Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword but other times if a warrior wields the pen it is even fiercer. OCC AU and Nanowrimo 2012
1. Letters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

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**Chapter 1: Letters**

"Post! Mimi there is a letter here for you! Yes you have Snail Mail! Come on sleepy head I know it is the hols but it is time to get out of that bed", called Dan Granger up the stairs to his teenage daughter. Definitely like her mother give her an opportunity to sleep she will take it.

Hermione Granger dragged herself out of her nice comfortable bed and down the stairs to grab a cuppa and to see a rare piece of mail for herself. She rarely got paper post with a stamp on it anymore since she had started at Hogwarts.

The parental units gave her a quick kiss passing over the post, tea and toast to the dopy teenager on their way out the door to their dental practice. "Emma you can not say she is not your daughter" sniggered Dan as he saw the lethargic girl slump at the breakfast bar cradling her cup of tea as they left her for the day.

It actually took Hermione's second large mug of tea before she had the mental capacity to command the dexterity to open her letter. On opening the letter there was a self addressed envelope and number of sheets of typed correspondence. I wonder what all this is about thought Hermione as she settled down to another round of toast and marmalade to investigate who and what someone was writing to her about.

xxxxx

Dear Miss Granger

I know that you are a very good friend of Harry Potter and I would like to assure you first off that this letter is not a prank. I would greatly appreciate it if I could use some of your time and famed intellect to see if you can help me understand a number of questions that I have concerning the UK wizarding community at the moment. I swear on my magic that I do not intend to harm you or my godson Harry Potter.

Yes he is my godson but I have not seen him or been in contact with him since his parent's death due to circumstances out of my control. With your help I would like to consider why I have not been able to see my godson and what is going on in the magical world. I have observed both you and Harry for the last couple of weeks while trying to workout what is going on and how I can approach my godchild. I have also been looking for evidence to support my role as a godparent and enable me to remove Harry from the Dursleys.

As you may have read recently in the ministry propaganda paper better known as the Daily Prophet that a certain criminal Sirius Black recently escaped from Azkaban. However I would like to say that Sirius Black was never the secret keeper for the Potters and he would never have betrayed them. There is family magic involved that means that Sirius would be unable to betray the child. The secret keeper was Peter Pettigrew whom everyone has reported killed by Sirius Black. Recently I observed that the Weasley Twins had given the map known as the Marauders map to my godson and from this I believe that he will be able to see the evidence that Peter Pettigrew is alive at the start of the school year when he returns to Hogwarts. I believe that Peter is using his unregistered rat animagus form to live with the Weasley's as a pet. Unfortunately I can't do anything on this matter over the summer as they are currently out of the country visiting Bill in Egypt. Yet I can work with your assistance to develop a strategy and hopefully provide the necessary information to Harry that I believe he needs to know.

There are a number of reasons why I am writing to you but mainly it is due to my concern about the safety of my godson and the people around him. I have not been able see Harry since he was a baby due to the action or should I say the inactions of one individual. Over the last couple of weeks I have observed you and Harry at school and in your summer locations a number of times. I did this to understand who Harry was and what circumstances he was in. I do not mean to sound creepy but I wanted to determine who were Harry's true friends and allies. From what I have seen of your behavior and my sources you are a very thoughtful and logical person who is loyal to Harry. I believe that you are a true friend of Harry's and have stood by him when others did not have the backbone. I would seek your assistance with helping me to understand what is really going on and if necessary assist me in protecting my godchild. I have a list of questions that I would like you to consider and play devils advocate for me. I am questioning my own interpretation of the facts so I would like your assistance in understanding the situation before I make contact with Harry.

Why if Albus Dumbledore as the so called Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot did he not give an member of the Order of Phoenix who was a Senior Auror one Sirius Black a trial for his part in the so called death of his best friends the Potters, Peter Pettingrew and 13 Mundanes?Why was Harry Potter left in the care of his mother's horrible magic hating mundane sister and her family?Why does Harry Potter know nothing of his family history or magical society?How can the so called safest place in the magical world not be defended enough that a mountain troll even with a bent professor was able to get into the building and attack children?How the smick did it only take three children to work out that there was a 60 foot bloody snake slivering round the castle and that it had been there for at least 50 years? Why do so many people look up to Albus too many fucking names Dumbledore and not question his meddling and manipulation in their lives?Why does my godson seem to get into life threatening situations every single year of his education at Hogwarts and why has there been totally crap DADA professors at Hogwarts a school of excellence most of the time for a large number of years?If Dumb as a Door really cares about the safety of my godchild why has he been physically, mentally and emotionally abused by the Dursleys?Why are all mundane born students automatically allocated to Albus Dumbledore the Head Master of Hogwarts for their magical guardianship?

10. Why did Dumbles ask both Harry's so called best friends not to communicate with him during the Summer?

As you can see that I have some interesting questions? Now I would like you to review and consider some other possible interpretations of the facts and use your own judgment to review the last couple of years and develop your own thoughts. Initially I think we should keep this discussion private and then I believe that you should have a discussion about these matters with your parents.

The reasoning I would like the initial conversation to just be between ourselves is that I believe that you will have questions which you will want additional information from me. I would now like you to consider my point of view on all 10 questions. I have tried to tackle each question individually but there will be some overlap and potentially joined up responses.

For Question 1 at this stage I am not sure why Albus did not push for a trial for Sirius but I am confused how an individual member of the Order of Phoenix and Senior Auror was hung out to dry by his incarceration in the hell hole better known as the wizarding prison Azkaban where he would be tormented by dementors. I understand that you have a strong belief in justice and the rights of the individuals of all races. Have you seen the conditions that prisoners are subjected to in that place? I keep wondering what benefit does Dumb as a Door get out of Sirius Black's fall from grace and imprisonment, there must be a reason why if Peter Pettigrew is alive and there are people who can verify that he is alive they have not come forward. What is the reasoning for not allowing justice to be served? Everyone is entitled to a trial so why did Sirius not get one even Bellatrix Lestrange got a trial.

Question 2. Why make Harry live with Petunia? I was a witness to both Lily and James' wills and I can assure you that there was a clause in both these documents which said that on no circumstances was Harry to be left on his own with this family. If anything happened to them so they were unable to care for a child that Harry was to be cared for by his god parents and if they were unavailable by a list of friends who were all magical and many were also members of the Order of Phoenix. Where are the wills and why haven't they been followed. This is his parents wishes they must always be listened too. Why not and what is the benefit of disregarding the specific wishes of his parents? Whom does it gain? What does it gain? Has Harry ever seen the wills?

Do the Goblins know that Harry has no knowledge of the wills? This leads into Question Three. Why does Harry know nothing about the magical world or his role in society? He has a very limited knowledge of the magical world and as an heir to an Ancient and Noble house he should be more knowledgeable. Why haven't the goblins acted on his behalf and got him out of the Dursleys? Could they be uninformed or misinformed? If someone has presented a dodgy will could they be pulling strings to make sure that Harry is isolated? Both Godparents alienated and made unavailable, Harry is living in the one place where the Potters never wanted him to go and he has no knowledge of his heritage.

So who knew what was in James and Lily's will the lawyer and the witnesses. Who were the witnesses? One god parent ie ME and Dumbles! What was the benefit of keeping me away from my godchild I would have never willing abandoned my duty or the child of my best friends. Harry was put out of my reach and only recently I have been able to access the UK magical world again.

Question 4: Why is Hogwarts not safe for the children who attend this school? I am horrified to hear of the various events that have gone on since your first year at Hogwarts. Why has there been no official investigation and why is there no improvement into the safety of the school? Did your parents ever receive notification that you were injured in this incident? Did they receive an official report in to the matter of the mountain troll, your polyjuice accident or your snake induced petrification? Why are UK mundane parents systematically pushed out of their child's life so it comes to a point that the first generation witch or wizard feels that they must abandon one community? Why can't there be a link between to two communities as observed in other countries round the world?

Can you understand why I am so confused and why I am wondering why things are so black and white? Why must all dark wizards come from Slytherin? Why is there such division in a school? Why does it seem that such division between the student houses is encouraged by the Headmaster and his policies that then leads me to question five. How the heck did the administration of the school had no knowledge of a snake that size was present in the school? How come a child died from the snake last time the so called Chamber of Secrets was opened and no one did a sodding thing about it? Why did not the school or the Ministry investigate what happened the last time or even this time round? This leads me to question whom had the influence to stop an investigation and it appears to my eyes as an outside observer that there is only one person who has the power and position, good old twinkly Dumbles.

Dumbles who somehow manages to control three extremely important full time positions at the same time. Dumbles must of used his influence to stop an investigation and hush it up. Why did he not remove a dangerous animal from the school building 50 years ago? Why was the snake still in the building to go on to attack again? This man is manipulating everyone and everything but I am wondering why? Why is the school in the condition it is in? What is happening to the funds that enable the repair of the building? Why are areas of the school so dangerous to students? Where is the money going?

If Albus is so bloody wonderful why is the UK magical society so fractured and what is going on? Dumbles sits in the background manipulating everyone mean while people are killed such as the Potters. What about all the Mundanes have been killed in the magical wars? Why are some parts of the magical community so marginalized? Why do the laws oppress minorities such as werewolves? Why do Mundane parents have no say over their first generation children's lives? Why are they disenfranchised and why is there a class system in the ministry and the magical world? It was not always the case. Why is the UK magical world trapped in the Victorian era? Does the magical liaison who visits mundane families to tell them about their child's magical capability even tell the parents about the discrimination, laws and the potential options for them to attend other schools?

DADA professors now that one is a doosie. Why are kids not be prepared or given the skills they need? Why cant they get a decent DADA professor to teach the subject? Dumbles who seems to be able to swing everything else seems not to have the backbone and power to swing it so that Remus Lupin who has a Mundane Masters of Education (Secondary Teaching) and Magical Masters in Defense and Charms can come and teach at Hogwarts. Remus was a close friend of James and Lily. He is also a member of the Order of Phoenix. Yes there may be some issues about the appointment but how can Dumbles keep employing people like the stutter and the gilded lily. I swear that Dumbles has manipulated everyone for years.

Why must Mooney be so dependent on the opportunities of the great one aka Dumbles? Have a look at the legislation? Who wrote it and who supported it? Looking at the legislative statues for the last 100 years many of the pure blood supremacist and elitist bills of legislation have been written and supported by Sodding Dumbles! Can you tell I am a little pissed how this great man has fucked me and everyone else over. He has kept me from my godson for 12 years and I am now finding out how he has meddled in so many lives all for the so called GREATER Fucking GOOD. I am questioning the greater good of whom?

I am sorry about the language but I cannot express how upset I am particularly when you look at what has happened to my Godson with the Dursleys. Do you know that until he came to Hogwarts they kept him in a dark dingy room under the stairs? The cupboard under the stairs was where his entrance letter was addressed. Harry was locked in there. He was physically, mentally and emotionally abused and no one saw it or even did anything about it. You can not tell me not one of his teachers at primary school twigged that there was something wrong with his home life and did not report it to the county council. Why if a child's entrance letter had such a shocking address did no one do anything about it? Why didn't the Ministry Welfare Services do something about it? Why didn't Minerva McGonagall do something about it? Why didn't a Professor visit the house and talk to the mundane family? Why was Hagrid who does not have his OWLS or NEWTS sent to Harry to introduce him into the wizarding community? I am so angry about question eight that I need a second opinion to ensure that I am not leaping off the deep end here.

Question 9: Why is Albus Sodding Door automatically your magical guardian? Did your mundane parents even be informed about magical guardianships? Did they get the option of specifying someone whom they know and could trust? Do you realize that Dumbles could sign you into a contractual marriage without your knowledge or consent? Do your parents even know this? Think about it? From what I have observed of you and your mother you both would go off the deep end over having your control over your life removed.

And finally onto my last question and one which greatly concerns me why did Dumb as a Door expressly command that my godson be isolated from his friends while staying with a family who abuse him over the summer? What is the reasoning for the repeated returning of Harry to this abusive environment and controlling all aspects of his life? Couldn't a first generation friend like yourself meet up with Harry during the summer? Why not? Why is there surveillance on Harry and yourself? If they are there to provide security why must there be no contact between yourselves? Why is the surveillance base house in Privet Drive located at Mrs Figg's place? Who is Mrs Figg and why has she not done anything about the abuse that Harry has suffered all these years? From my understanding Mrs Figg is a squib member of the Order of Phoenix. So if the Order knew about the abuse why did they not do something about the abuse?

As you have observed from this missive I am deeply concerned and I have prepared a self addressed envelope for our correspondence. We cannot even trust owls. Your magical mail is being interfered with. Do you use a computer? Do you have an email account? I need a way to communicate with you that will not raise suspicion with your watchers or your family until we are ready to talk to your parents. This letter has been charmed so that only you can read the current text and for the rest of the world it looks like an academic program information package. There is also a fidelius charm on your text so you are not able to discuss or write about this matter without my permission. I do not want Dumbles to know my concerns and I want to protect my godchild. I cannot contact those I know within the Order as I don't know whom I can trust since they know about the abuse of my godchild. At this stage you are only allowed to communicate with me about the details of this letter.

So please Miss Granger, I need your help to solve this dilemma. At this stage I will remain anonymous but use a nick name my godson gave me as a child, Snuffles.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Snuffles.


	2. Gob Smacked

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

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**Chapter 2: Gob smacked**

Talk about taking a fish and slapping the buggery out of me.

Here we are halfway into the first week of the school holidays and I have been hit with a bus.

How fucking dare these pureblood cock suckers do this to me! I am supposed to be one of the brightest students of my year and they have tar and feathered me. FUCK! I will bloody well give that GOBSHITE a Everton Kiss and then line up the dementors for the kiss.

Calm down think rationally. First thing first tidy up my temper tantrum Mum and Dad will kill me for breaking my breakfast dishes. Bugger no magic so start with the kitchen and then work my way back up stairs. Remember you are being observed! How dare they put a surveillance team on me. Do they have the house wired? Would they wire the house magically or electronically? Right I will need to check for both.

Shower time! I can't believe that Dumbles put Harry in an abusive house. How can he do that, everyone trusted him to take care of Harry the saviour of the UK and wizarding world? Harry has been isolated his whole life and the only one who appears to have given him any kindness have all been great friends of Dumb as a Door. Have they all been controlled? Has everyone been lying to Harry and I since we entered the magical world? Dumbles I will get him for his sodding twinkly eyes and his jovial calm santa butter wouldn't melt in his mouth grandfatherly act that manipulating bastard.

Ohhh someone has been watching me at school and now at home. Have they seen me get changed in my room? Stop thinking purvey thoughts. Has half the sodding Order seen me getting changed? Has that wanker be watching me is that how he gets his twinkle in his eyes. Shit I always thought he was gay. Yuck is control and domination how he gets off. Right think logically.

Why has no one seen this manipulation before? Right Right have to protect my family, Harry, his godparent and then myself. Lets make it look like I am giving myself a girly pamper day. Time to do the double conditioning of my hair. Do the legs sod it I miss using magic when I am at home. I need to breathe and think. Revenge is a dish best served cold, ice cold and if this is true I will be serving it at absolute zero (0 Kelvin). I will need to check on my facts and review the last two years while I have been at Hogwarts but I think it is true and the blinkers have been removed from my eyes.

Xxxx

She appears to be having a girly day. Long shower, face pack, painting nails and all that type of stuff. She seemed a little unsettled earlier when she was downstairs when she dropped her breakfast things but she cleaned up relatively normally. She must have had a bad morning so pampering herself to get back into a better mood as she appears to have been in her room all day. From the observation she has been doing some of her holiday assignments and she has been dancing round with those headphones on. It seems the Christmas laptop has all her favourite music on it and she is bopping away. To think that was me only a couple of years ago. I think I will go and do the same as her tonight. I will finish my reports and then head home to do some girly things. I wonder if mum wants to do a home spa night with me. After a day of staring though the windows on my flat feet I want a pedicure and foot massage. Dad can just go down the road to the pub.

Xxx

Dear Snuffles.

Thank you for your letter of concern and I understand why you are being very careful. You have certainly rocked my foundations askelter and now I am trying to gather my thoughts on the matters you have raised.

First off I need to find out what type of surveillance there is on me? Is it purely magical or are we talking mundane as well. Electronic? Audio? Video?

Tracking charms? We need to sort out who and what they can see and hear. Once we can do that we can work on a secure communication channel for us and then expanded it to others who join this discussion of matters.

I will need to confirm the details about Sirius Black from a secondary source. I would agree with you for someone who proclaims to be the leader of the light against the evil purebloods and pathologically insane half blood Tom Riddle there is some issues. I will check up on the legislation tomorrow when I visit the ministry library. I was planning to visit to help finish my holiday assignments but I now have a list of things to look up as well. I will have to be careful not to blow my cover or give the game away.

Logically the wills would be in Harry's parents vaults and therefore under the control of the Goblins. Do you want me to contact them tomorrow when I stop by Diagon Alley for some books and potion ingredients? I could drop the letter off when I am there at the bank changing my money over. I have included a draft for you to look over to see if you are happy with my phraseology.

I knew that Harry's home life was pretty grim and suspected that there was more but he has never said anything when I have asked. We have to get him out of there and how we are going to do that when Dumbles seems to have so much power over Harry's life. I would also like to find a way to communicate with Harry so he can put his perspective on the various questions you have raised. I won't tell him you are a godparent without your permission but we will need to know his side of this sorry mess. He may have more evidence that we can use against dumbles. We will have to break it to him gently if Dumbles and everyone in the magical world are using him, cause it could crush him. If Dumbles and the school knew about the abuse we have to make sure it does not happen to another child. We have to make them pay for what they have done.

Ancient and Noble house. I admit I don't know anything about his family history other than what happened as a baby. I know his mum was a first generation magical but I don't understand the magical society bit so you are going to have to explain it a bit more to me or give me some sources I can use for reference materials. I will have to gather more information on what the implications are for Harry as an orphan. I will need to find some sources to verify that Potter was an Ancient and Noble house.

I had a look in my parents' home office today and they have no paperwork covering any of the incidents that I have been involved in my school filing cabinet drawer. Heck they kept all the school newsletters where I got a prize from primary school so they would keep a report about the troll incident from Hogwarts. I wonder if I had even mentioned the troll or am I charmed not to mention the troll incident and other things to my parents. Do I really know if I have told my parents about these events? Do you think that Dumbles did the same thing about stuff at school and communicating with people like my parents as you did to your letter? If they did not know about the incident I could not communicate with them about it? Another way to isolate first generation witches from their mundane family.

I need to find out more on the Order of Phoenix but I have a feeling at this stage I cannot trust anyone. Where could I get more information without alerting Dumbles or someone who then alerts Dumbles? What could be my cover story for asking about the Order of Phoenix?

I agree about the DADA teacher we need to be prepared to stop the return of Moldy shorts. I love the name the Weasley twins use for that particular person. It is a pity that they are in Egypt but I could of used the Twins help in working this out as they have very Machiavellian minds. Ron would be a waste of space but can we even trust the Weasley family, as they are closely associated with Dumbles and Ron seems to think he is the gods gift to wizard kind and the side of the light.

Do you know that for every question you have asked you have raised another twenty questions? Aaghhhh you are making my mind spin. I need to talk to someone. I need to talk my ideas through and bounce ideas off. I can see why you needed to talk to someone and therefore wrote to me. Can you make it possible that I can talk everything through with my Dad? I want to show him the letter and talk to him about all this his name is Dan Granger. I sort of think that Mum would go off the deep end if she found out about the contractual marriage bit as you are right I certainly did. That's why we are now a plate and mug short of a set.

I need more information! If my owl post is being tracked how can I contact people in the magical world to find out the parts I have no background knowledge. I don't know who I can trust and I don't know who I can talk to without alerting Dumbles and the Order to what I am up to.

Please advise whom I can contact and what I can say to them about specific matters. I think we would need a multiphased approach to protect Harry, my family, yourself and me. We seriously need some legal advice but going into a lawyer would put the wind up and tell everyone. We don't need Dumbles and his supporters to know that I am up to something.

I will let you contact me as soon as possible with further instructions. Enclosed is a copy of my prepared letter for the goblins if you wish me to contact them.

The Cheeky Otter.

Xxx

Dear Most Honorable Branch Manager.

It has been brought to my attention that an orphan wizard has no knowledge of his family's wishes as he has not heard his parent's wills. He is now 12 and will be turning 13 later on during the summer. Apparently according to my source he is unaware that he is the heir to the headship of an Ancient and Noble house.

My source has indicated that young wizard concerned was placed with family members who have abused the child both physically, mentally and emotionally. The parents' of this child according to my source apparently had expressly stated that on no terms was their child to be placed with the family members who have been abusing him for a number of years.

This abuse has been raised with the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the child's head of house in school but nothing has happened. I believe that even the Matron is aware of the abuse as he has been an in patient of the school infirmary. Any diagnostic scan will show that he has suffered malnutrition and there appears to have been no remedial treatment undertaken to address the effect of the malnutrition on his body.

I believe that we need to be careful with this matter in gathering the evidence of malfeasance against the family's wishes and would like to establish a line of communication with you or your appropriate representative on this matter that excludes the professors and others who would like to meddle in this matter. My primary aim in all of this matter is to protect my friend and get them out of harms way. I am willing to stand beside and fight for my friend so they are not harmed again.

I am aware that I am under magical surveillance and I am wondering if you can assist me in providing a communication method that would enable me to contact my friend, my source, yourselves and any additional people such as a legal team discreetly without attracting mundane or magical attention. Please remember that the client and myself are both underage and are currently living in mundane locations during the summer.

I am concerned that the reason why the account client does not know of their family inheritance is that others may be manipulating the child's funds for their own benefit. I am not even sure if he has his own vault key.

If you would like to contact me by mundane phone I can be reached at home in the evenings on 012375 422399 and I will arrange another book buying trip to Diagon Alley so that I can assist you with any additional information you may require.

May your gold be profitable and your enemies defeated.

Yours sincerely

Hermione Granger

For my best friend I fight to protect.

xxx

With that Hermione placed her composed response into the self addressed envelope before placing it down on her desk. Suddenly the envelope popped out of her room and arrived with her secret correspondent. She carefully stored the original letter and a copy of her draft response letters into a special folder before getting out her potions essay.

After doing some more work on her assignments and developing a list of points to research a reply came back in another envelope that appeared in the same place to where she had put her completed written response to the first letter. Someone appeared to be seriously good at charms.

Xxxx

To the bushy haired otter.

I give permission for you to show the letters and any other materials to your father, Dr Dan Granger and discuss the matter in his study. Please don't start your discussion openly until you have received the research resources that I have sent to the practice to assist you. I have a number of letters in the box of books and one letter will provide a method to enable the house to be checked for surveillance devices. This will enable us to develop an appropriate communication strategy to meet the challenges we encounter.

I like your goblin letter and suggest that you use it. I would like to ask you to make sure you are at Flourish and Blotts tomorrow at 1pm. Andromedia Tonks will contact you in the stacks. I have provided her with a description of you. She is the older sister to Narcissa Malfoy and looks like her a bit. Don't panic. Andy Tonks married a first generation wizard who is a lawyer in the mundane and magical world. She was disinherited because she married Ted. Andy was a member of the Order of Phoenix during the last war but she has always lobbied to get her cousin Sirius Black a trial. She has always believed that he was innocent. Andy has some evidence that proves it but needs further evidence such as Peter Pettigrew with the Aurors for them to truly believe that Sirius is innocent. I know Andy has argued with Dumbles about him not having a trial so it is important that there is overwhelming evidence to prove Sirius Black's innocence and force a trial. Andy does not know it but she and Ted were one of the couples who were listed in the will as alternative guardians if Harry's godparents were not available.

We also need to make sure that you and Harry are protected. One way would to be to get both of you emancipated in the magical world and to get an appropriate mundane guardianship in place for Harry.

Another source to contact would be the Grandmother of your housemate Neville Longbottom but at this stage I cannot ensure that you have a secure owl. I have not had a chance yet to check on the security of Madam Longbottom's home either so I would suggest that you delay in contacting her until you have spoken to Andy.

I have a letter for the goblins that I would like you to deliver when you deliver your note tomorrow. This letter concerns my personal business but hopefully will get them to trust you in this matter as you can see I have named the goblin whom it is for, he is the personal account manager for my family. I have placed it in the group of letters that are within the box of books that are being delivered to your parents' workplace. I have charmed the box so it does not weigh a ton.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter and I thank you for joining in the fight to protect my godson.

Snuffles

Xxx

Dear Sharpspear my old friend.

May your gold multiply and your enemies tremble in fear. It has come to my attention that my guardianship of my godson has been interfered with deliberately. I also believe that his parents' wishes as stated in their last will have not been obeyed and I wish to lodge a formal complaint with the Goblin nation that a number of ancient and noble client's accounts have been tampered with. I would suggest that there is a possible insider who is involved in this matter as it appears according to the Wizengamot records that the will was executed in early November 1981.

I would like to commission the investigation and fund Gringott's handling of this matter from my Black Marauder's trick account. This includes any logistical support you provide to Miss Hermione Granger and her family to ensure that my godson, Harry James Potter is safe and secure. This treasure of his family has been beaten and abused by his maternal aunt, uncle and cousin. I have witnessed some of the harsh treatment he has received earlier this week when he returned from school from his Uncle when he was locked into his room.

I am gathering evidence to support the declaration of a blood feud against the House of Dumbledore and the Headmaster of Hogwarts for not protecting this child. I may also open other feud declarations based on further investigations into the corrupt and incompetent ministry officials both mundane and magical.

Thank you for your help in this matter may your gold flow like a torrent.

Lord Sirius Orion Black


	3. Telling the Pater

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

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**Chapter 3: Telling the Pater**

So now here comes the hard part telling Dad what has been going on the last couple of years. I have sort of not told them everything wonder if that was me or was that Dumbles manipulating me. This year I have been transformed into a cat and spent a considerable amount of time petrified but I can not remember if I have told my parents about these incidences.

When Mum and Dad had come home he had given me a strange look you know when your Dad looks over the top of his glasses at you he wants a word and he will be having that chat. I had tried to cut it off before he started with a play when I asked if I could get some help from him with my homework after dinner. Yeap he has got me bang to rights. He will wait but he is going to be discussing something with me tonight.

So dinner was over. I had loaded the dishwasher after clearing the table. Mum had settled in the lounge with her book and I had trotted up the stairs to get my Snuffles correspondence folder, take a deep breath and prepare to go and meet my maker. Dad is so not going to be happy with me.

Xxx

Here goes nothing… "Hi Daddy you wanted to have a chat with me?"

"Yes my scheming conniving thirteen year old who will be lucky to make 14 years let alone the rest of the summer holidays if she doesn't tell me what on earth is going on", Dan Granger quietly growled out at his daughter with a twinkle in his eye. Yeap she knows she is caught big time.

Oh bugger I am up the preverbal creek without a paddle and then some. "Dad it is like this there are some things about the magical world that we were never informed of and I need your help to help myself and my friend get out of the foo bar we are in. We are talking real cloak and dagger stuff and all that. The house is under surveillance and I am not sure whom or what we can trust", she admitted to her father with large sad chocolate eyes.

"Surely it is not that bad. Start at the beginning and work your way through it" he said as he leaned back in his comfortable executive chair. This study was a masculine furnished room that Hermione had always associated with her father more so than her mother even though they both had desks in here.

After taking a deep breath the young witch proceeded to layout what she did know to her father in a logical manner as he had trained her. She presented the facts before handing the first letter over for her father to read asking him through a written note not to say anything out loud as it was possible that the house was bugged. At the point where it came to the magical guardianship Dan Granger excused himself to get a large box that had been delivered today to the practice out of the car.

No Dan Granger did not show his temper in public or even in private very often but to say he was livid was a little bit of an understatement. Using the short trip out to the car he tried to calm down. Who do these people think they are doing this to their family and every other non magical family in the UK who were blessed with a magical child?

If Emma was in his shoes right now having this conversation with their darling daughter you can bet the surveillance team would know all about it and probably the principal of that darn school in Scotland would have heard all about it too. She would have blown her stack.

So while Dan finished re reading the correspondence folder contents, Hermione was opening the parcel addressed to the Cheeky Otter and her lovely parents the Fang merchants. Yes she could understand why her father was not that impressed at receiving a parcel labeled like this at the practice it was soo not a professional dentist label. Hermione totally understood the look she got this evening over the glasses when her father came in from work.

The box was one of those movers boxes for books and it was completely filled with books on a wide range of topics. Inside the box there were a couple of letters. So Snuffles had a sense of humour. There was the letter for the goblin bank with an ornate wax seal on the back. There was also a letter just to her father, her parents together and a collective one for Dan and Hermione Granger. There was also a couple of other letters for names that seemed familiar however the addresses were all written in a very formal style. These other letters all had the same formal wax seal like the goblin letter.

XXX

So Cheeky Otter and the Fang Father

Here is a box of books that I have lightened so you can carry it easily. Thank me later Dan cause I can see you will want me to apply this charm to a large number of things knowing your wife and daughter's obsession with tomes. The books provided are a selection of resource materials to enable the miss bossy boots to see the information she was looking for to back up the details of my first letter. I am glad that the fang father has got into this affair as I need some adult perspective, as many of my peers will tell you I am known as the preverbally immature prankster child who just happens to inhabit an adult body.

To check the house I will need Hermione to call out for a house elf his name is Kretcher. When he appears she needs to ask him to check the house over and remove any charmed surveillance items from inside the house before reporting his findings back to her. She will then need to ask him to remove any hidden mundane cameras or audio listening devices. When he reports back that everything has been cleared she will then need to send him to me to let me know the findings. I am going to be observing the surveillance team to see if the presence of a house elf activates anything when he pops in. If we are all clear I will get him to bring me round to have a chat with the Fang Father.

I don't think it will be a good idea if Mrs Fang sees me until we have a bit of a larger understanding of what is going on as we need to be extremely careful. I think she will see me and let me know how disappointed she is with the pureblood magical community. Before calling for the elf please make sure Hermione that your father has the individual letter I have written.

So whenever you are ready get Kretcher to come and do the once over for us. I just hope tonight is not wet and windy cause I have not done a stakeout for a very long time.

Look forward to talking to you soon.

Snuffles.

Xxxx

Dan Granger had reviewed the correspondence folder contents and then sat back to watch his daughter unpack the box of books. She placed all the envelopes on his desk before handing over the envelope from the box that was addressed to both of them. Hermione was not talking to her father but allowing him time to process his thoughts. After reading the first letter Dan then opened up the letter addressed to him individually.

After reading everything again for a third time Dan Granger sat very still with a distracted gaze that indicated to Hermione he was seriously thinking everything over and the cogs of the wheels in his brain were spinning like mad. After a considerable period of quiet reflection he suddenly straightened his chair before turning to his daughter.

"Call the elf", advised Dan while he was rearranging his desk.

"Kretcher" Hermione called before a pop and in appeared a strange little creature.

"Yes Miss" the ancient house elf asked her curiously.

"Can you check the house for magical surveillance objects and charms? Please remove all internal objects and then come back here when you are done", the bushy haired young witch commanded.

"Hermione who do you think Snuffles is?" asked Dan before the elf came back.

"Logically it is this man", she said as she wrote down the name Sirius Black on a note pad.

"Yes you are correct so please keep calm cause I am going to ask him to come into the house", advised Dan.

"I have done that Miss do you want me to do the second task now? There were listening and watching charms in place in the kitchen, dining room and living room that now have an elf distracting charm on them. There was also listening charms in other rooms that I have also used the distracting charm on. For downstairs rooms we need to make sure they can not see stuff so no taking things in there.

Sound wise now they are getting a mix of sounds that covers your speech. For example for the sound only charms areas I have set it up so that they only hear mumbling when people are having a conversation. They wont be able to hear footsteps or things like that so they wont be able to track movement or numbers in the other rooms.

In the living room I have made it so they only hear BBC1 TV. The kitchen is the burble of Radio 4 and Radio 1 at different sound settings reflecting if the young miss is in the kitchen. They see her in the pictures but they can not hear anyone due to the radio.

I have also rigged up an internal alarm so you are warned if a magical person comes to the door" advised the elf. "This is so much like when Master Snuffles and his friends used to do pranks or auror jobs. I have missed him so much".

"Kretcher please bring Snuffles in if we are all clear", advised Dan.

"Kretcher can you please check for hidden mundane cameras and audio listening devices. Remove any items and then let Master Snuffles know about the internal surveillance the situation. Thank you for all your help", Hermione stated.

With that the elf popped out. It was not long before another pop was heard and there was a tall man with dark hair and steel grey eyes holding Kretcher's hand. He was holding his wand out in a defensive manner.

"Hello Cheeky Otter and Mr Fang" he said with a grin on his face.

"Have a seat Snuffles" advised Dan Granger pointing to the lounge before turning to his daughter "Go check on your mum. Make her a cuppa and then bring a coffee back for me. I think you might want a coffee as well as I can see we are going to be up late tonight. What do you prefer Snuffles?"

"I would like a coffee please Mr Granger" advised the dark haired man under the intense intelligent gaze of this mundane parent.

"Dad I will set the dripper up for us and then I will go and sort Mum for about half an hour if that's fine with you so you can both clear the air" Hermione said with a knowing look at both of them.

"Call me Dan and I will call you?" inquired Dr Granger.

"Um I think we should continue to call me Snuffles as there may be issues if we have a mini slip up over my name. I wont be doing any magic here as they will be tracking the address for underage magic from Miss Granger" advise a man who had a haunted look when he dropped the cheeky grin from his face.

"How long have you been inside?" the calm voice of Dan Granger asked the wizard.

"Too long. Yes I am an escapee and on the run but here I can prove that I could not have done what they have accused me of. Well for starters James was my lifelong best friend. There were four of us who made up the Marauders in school and it was another member of the Marauders who betrayed us."

"James was more than my best friend he was also my blood and heart brother. When my family threw me out of home when I was in school it was James parents who took me in and cared for me. I have an oath to protect his child or I will lose my magic and therefore my life. My younger brother made some bad choices that eventually cost him his life but before he died tried to make amends by addressing those wrong choices", Sirius advised the calm man.

"So Snuffles what are we going to do tonight when the otter gets back?" asked Dan still quietly observing the man who seemed to be in so much pain and anguish.

"Plan our revenge while protecting my godson and your daughter from the manipulating bastard who left me to rot. Once we deal with the major issues we then have to work to revolutionize the UK magical society as well. Do you know that your daughter has the potential to be the first mundane born Minister of Magic for 500 years?" advised Sirius just before Hermione entered with a tray that had all the materials for a long night.

"I will just finish setting up the dripper. I will make mum's cuppa and then I will be back so finish up what ever you want to discuss without me being present" Hermione advised while working with quick hands to set up the drip filter coffee maker before pouring the carafe of water into the top tank.

"Thanks love and don't forget to swipe the pack of milk chocolate McVitties from your mother's hidden stash for us on your way back" Hermione's father interjected when she was just about to exit the room.

"Don't worry Dad I have already found the stash but I was not going to let you get first dibs on it" she said with a grin on her face.

Taking out his wand out again Sirius looked at Dan intently before quietly stating "I would not be able to do this if I did not have my magic. I promise you Dan Granger that I will protect you and your family. I promise that I am only working to protect my godchild and your child from the manipulation of the current Headmaster of Hogwarts. I promise as soon as possible after we have dealt with the killer of my friends James and his Lily I will work to make changes to the existing magical society so that all are treated fairly. I promise this oath to you on my magic. So mote it be". There was a swirl of magic around Sirius and Dan in the study. Since Dan was able to feel and confirmed to him that if Snuffles was the godfather of Harry Potter he was not lying about not be able to do the magic he had just felt.

"Thank you I can see that you mean it, you must love your godson like I love my daughter", commented Dan as he looked into the steely grey eyes of the other man.

After taking a calming breath to steady his emotions and magic Sirius admitted, "He had me hook line and sinker the first time I ever held him when he was not even an hour old. I feel so cheated that I have missed so many years of his life while he has suffered at the hands of the sodding manipulator. I just can not comprehend why it was necessary to place him in such an abusive home, how can you do that on purpose to a child when you have apparently been working in education and looking after children for over 100 years. How am I going to tell Harry about all the wrongs that have been done against him? How am I going to get him out of there safely?" There were silent tears of pain and anguish that worked their way down his cheeks when he reviewed the overwhelming situation he and Harry were in.

"Through planning and determination" advised Hermione as she came over and kissed the man on his cheek. "Thank you for caring for my friend and thank you for being willing to trust me. Now lets get down to business. Do you want your mini whiteboard Dad while we brainstorm ideas?" as she cleared a large whiteboard that was mounted on the wall between the two desk areas.

"Kretcher", Hermione called.

After the pop of elf appration the elf that had been called answered "Yes miss".

"Why don't you grab a drink that you like and then join us back here in this study for a council of war. You have every right to be here as the issues we are discussing also effect you in a similar manner", stated the young witch.

The midnight oil was burned by all four well into the early morning to develop a master strategy. Yes things were going into operation and they were going to take the bastards down while protecting the minorities and eventually changing the system so that there was equality. War was that what they wanted heck yeah it was going to be a bloody revolution!


	4. Gathering Appropriate Sources

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Gathering Appropriate Sources**

The next morning bright an early Dan dropped Hermione off at the mundane entrance to the Ministry of Magic where she proceeded to the central resource library. As Hermione had been a frequent visitor to the Central Resource Library during the last summer holidays the librarian updated her reading card so she had more privileges to access materials.

Hermione had driven the staff batty with her frequent requests so the librarians thought they might as well give her the access she needs so she can do it herself and not bother the busy reference librarians. We know she is good with books as Irma Price vouched for her last year and from her own memory the desk librarian remembered that young witch was good with the tomes and materials they had in the Ministry's collection.

Hermione had a list of items that she wanted to find and double check. Unfortunately the magical library did not have a photocopier and she was not allowed to do magic outside of school so she could not magically make copies. Hermione was also hampered by the effect of magic on electronic devices but it was Kretcher's suggestion that found them an appropriate solution while providing Hermione with more time to gather information.

The plan was that Hermione was going to get a work area that enabled her to spread out her books and her note pad. Using mini post it notes Hermione was to mark the sections of the book she wanted copied and Kretcher who would be disillusioned would make a copy of the materials before returning the book to the shelves using magic. The copies of the materials would be filed in either of the library visitors' bags. These satchel bags were charmed in a manner that made them expandable and feather light. To make it look like she was copying out massive sets of notes Hermione was using a notepad and pencil to make the note taking process observable.

By 9 am one of the librarians who had remembered the quiet girl from last year had stopped by Hermione's workspace and her large spread of book stacks. Taking pity on the young mundane witch the librarian removed the underage charm on Hermione's wand.

"Just remember no magic at home", she whispered. "Do you know the textcopying, sourcing and book reshelving charms?" she inquired.

"Yes Madam. Thank you so much for assisting me with my wand and I will remember not do any magic in my mundane home. However I have a technical inquiry or two for you that I need some help with please", advised Hermione before addressing her queries to the helpful librarian. There was a short discussion and Hermione made a number of notes in her notebook for later.

Since there was now two of them working on the copying task at once they human and elf team had completed all of Hermione required sources by 10:30 am. After checking her watch and the list of tasks she had for this visit Hermione felt that she had enough time to move onto some additional information that she had on her one day when if I get a chance list I will look up.

While putting her copies into the satchel case Hermione whispered to Kretcher if he knew how to make complete copies of texts.

"Yes Miss I can do duplicate books for you and send them to the house", he quietly advised her.

"So while we are here can you copy books from the family history and legal section over there that your master does not already have copies of please. I would like you to store the copies of the books at my family home for now. How long do you think it will take for you to do this?", she inquired.

"I can do that section in the next ten minutes", he advised.

"Please do so. Kretcher can you enter the ministry library at any time and copy the books?" Hermione inquired with her brain firing with potential options it could open for her and their revolution.

"Yes miss but it would be better if I do it in normal opening hours. After hours the cleaning and stacking elves would notice me and report me for sneaking. So it is better in busy times then it looks like I am a ministry elf", quietly advised the old elf. He had definitely been in the diversion game before thought Hermione.

After strolling through the stacks Hermione and Kretcher had duplicated a fair number of texts on a range of topics. If the books were found at Hogwarts the text would likely be stored in the restricted section. After a very productive morning Hermione and the disillusioned Kretcher left the ministry via the Muggle gateway.

When they made it back into the city of London streets Hermione exhaled a rather large breath. They had made it. Hermione quickly organized with Kretcher that he would take both satchels back to her house and then bring another charmed bag back for her so she could visit Diagon Alley and to visit one of her favourite shops, Flourish and Blotts.

When Kretcher returned with a newly charmed handbag that included all the letters Sirius had wanted her to deliver Hermione then hailed a black cub to take her to Liverpool Street Railway station. From there she made the short two minute walk to Liverpool Street Tube station where she promptly exited through another entrance to make sure that there was no one tailing her. Nipping round to the cab rank she hailed one to take her to the Leaky Cauldron on Charing Cross Road so she could enter Diagon Alley. With a smile at Tom and wave at Tom on her way in she advised him she needed to get some books to help with her holiday homework as he let her through to the magical shopping street.

Going into Gringotts Hermione waited in the queue looking at her watch and hoping that she would be out within half an hour cause she had to meet Andy Tonks in Flourish and Blotts.

After changing pounds into Gallons she packed away her coins in the bag while slipping out the two letters that she had for the goblin nation with the Senior Teller who had been serving her. With great respect she asked if Senior Teller Revenge could deliver the letters to the account manager of the Black accounts. Seeing the seal on the back of one letter he simply nodded.

"Thank you for your help today with my transactions Senior Teller Revenge. May your gold always flow and be highly profitable while your enemies tremble", she intoned before leaving the surprised goblin to make her way down to Flourish and Blotts. Closing his hatch Revenge rushed to Account Manager Sharpespear who quickly read the missive from Lord Sirius Orion Black who leapt into action demanding that Senior Teller Revenge follow him to see the branch manager.

After reading both letters that had been hand delivered to Gringotts, the Branch Chief Goblin Bloodtooth swore both the Account Manager and the Senior Teller into absolute secrecy. Calling in the Goblin known as Skulk from the internal security unit into the branch managers office Bloodtooth expressed his anger and concern that there were issues within the branch that suggested a potentially disloyal goblin or goblins to be passing or assisting theft from the goblin nation and their clients. The intake of breath by Skulk and the others present was sudden and the palpable anger that there could be disloyalty and betrayal to the nation brought on palpitations in Senior Teller Revenge. Bloodtooth left it very clear to all present in his office that there would be an internal investigation and full audit of the Potter Vaults and just to be on the safe side the Black vaults as well.

Xxxx

After her mission in the goblin bank Hermione made her way to Flourish and Blotts with 15 minutes to spare before she proceeded to peruse the shelves in the various sections.

Precisely at 1pm a mature witch with a small stack of books in her arms bumped into Hermione knocking both their selections to the floor. "Oh dear I am just as bad as my daughter Nymphadora", she exclaimed before bending down to help Hermione in trying to sort out the piles of books.

"Do you have an interest in healing?" she asked Hermione noticing one of her books.

"Yes my parents are non-magical teeth healers which are known as dentists", replied Hermione.

"Sorry, my name is Madam Andromedia Tonks. I am a potions mistress and general practice healer", the kindly woman advised Hermione.

"It is nice to meet you Madam Tonks, I am Hermione Granger", said the young witch after placing the books onto the shelves so she could extend her hand in greeting to the lady with a similar interest to her. "Can you give me some advice over a good selection please especially for household complaints?"

Flipping through Hermione's book selection Madam Tonks asked "Are you likely to encounter quidditch injuries?"

"Yes Madam both my best friends and their extended family play the sport. I tend to be on the ground and be one of the first to get to them when they fall off their brooms", Hermione advised.

"These are good but I would ditch the Medley's and see if they have a Household Domestica. I can see you are interested in Domestic Charms and Transfiguration as well and the one book would assist in all three areas the medical and the household management. Can I inquire why you are interested in household maintenance charms?" asked Madam Tonks looking at the young witch.

"I have only briefly been in the magical world and that has been in school. I want to understand magical houses and homelife. Also Professor Flitwick set a bonus charms essay task that relates to the use of household charms and I thought that I would get some general reading in first before I research my specific charm type", advised the young witch.

"Here I would take the Nigella book", advised Madam Tonks while handing her a selection from the shelf area where they were reviewing Hermione's book selection. "It was nice to meet you and if you have any questions for your assignments or self-study please don't hesitate to call or write to me. Here is my card" the older witch instructed holding out a printed address card.

"Thank you for your advice on my selection Madam Tonks" Hermione advised the kind witch while returning the Medleys back to the medical section and grabbing a Household Domestica.

"You are welcome. My husband Ted is a first generation wizard so I understand what you mean about magic and its uses in home maintenance and homelife. What seems as normal to me would be different for you if you have not been exposed to it before. I have to go now and meet my daughter on her lunch break but please don't hesitate to contact me if you want to know more about wizarding homelife. It was nice meeting you Hermione".

"Thank you again for your help and goodbye Madam Tonks. I will contact you if I need some more advice for the research", said Hermione as she left Madam Tonks to go to another section of the store. Hermione had transferred Sirius's letters to Andy Tonks when the book selection had been picked off the floor. Madam Tonks' exchange with Hermione had been slipped in the Nigella book she had passed to her. After transferring the messages and letters that had been inside the cover of the Nigella "Magical Cooking and Domestic Goddess" book into her purse, Hermione took her book selection up to the front counter. Since she was there at the bookshop already she also purchased her school text books for the third year and picked up a new catalogue for the book mailing service.

"Miss Granger we also have your book orders here as well do you want to collect everything today?" the sales assistant enquired.

"Yes please and can you pack them into collapsible stacks so I can carry everything home easily", Hermione asked thinking what sodding order they normally send it out to me. "How much do I owe you today?" she enquired.

"Your account has been credited so you now have a balance of 400 gallons Miss and of course todays selections will go on your frequent shopper parchment notice" the sales assistant advised as he handed over the collapsible stack and her sales receipts.

"I have also put in some additional information sheets for our bookclubs and information resource collection services, just remember when you get home it is one touch of your wand and your shopping package will open.

After her nice surprise in Flourish and Blotts with the account credit and how much she had available Hermione wondered up Diagon Alley visiting the Stationary Emporium, Timbuktu Trunk Makers and of course the Magical Menagerie where she saw an orange half keasle, called Crookshanks. Talking to the owner of the Magical Menagerie she asked if Crookshanks could be put on hold until she asked her parents promising to owl tomorrow with the advice whether she was allowed to have a cat. While in the Magical Menagerie Hermione picked up a selection of owl treats as she had noticed that her parent's supplies were running low.

Before leaving Diagon Alley Hermione decided that she would have a ice cream treat from Florian's. When entering Florian's she was recognised by Madam Tonks and she called her over to the table with her daughter. Hermione was introduced to the trainee Auror Nymphadora Tonks. It was interesting to listen to the two women talk about their lives while she ate her ice cream. Nymphadora gave Hermione her card and told her to owl her if she wanted to talk about a career in the law before she headed off back to work. At the end of the ice cream Hermione thanked Madam Tonks for all the help she had given her in the bookshop again and how kind she had been to her to invite her to join her table.

After completing her ice cream Hermione left Diagon Alley and started to walk back down Charing Cross Road towards the near by major mundane shopping area. When she was sure that she was not being followed she stopped at a bus stop shelter and called for Kretcher. The house elf then popped her back home.


	5. Review of Data Collected

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Review of Data Collected**

When Hermione had returned home from Diagon Alley she passed all the information she had gathered to Sirius who read the letter from Andy Tonks with great interest.

So they had a definite group of supporters and Andy was going to handle Remus Lupin. His friend Remus Lupin unfortunately believed that he was responsible for the death of James and Lily Potter rather than that despicable little rat, Peter Pettigrew. Sirius knew if that if he met face to face with Remus at the moment he would not last a minute as Remus would call on his inner werewolf and tear his throat out in a heartbeat. Yes they would get their revenge on the bastards who betrayed them and their friends. But patience was needed and they must pull all the death munchers down as well.

While Hermione was organizing the information she had gathered from the Ministry library Sirius handled the trunk information leaflets she had gathered in Timbuktu Trunks. An apartment trunk and the ability to store large libraries into a trunk the size of her plain school trunk, she could have a potions lab and a study room. I wonder how many pure bloods have this sort of trunk in their dorms. Many ideas about the potential options that the multi-compartmental trunks could provide the witch or wizard whizzed through Hermione mind as she reviewed the options leaflet but of course looking at the fine print like the pricing chart it was well out of her capabilities. Damn. Bugger and Blast. Sirius must be minted as a pure blood if he asked her to pick up this information for him.

On her way home from Diagon Alley Hermione had asked Kretcher to stop with her at the local pet store so she could pick up a couple of items to help with the cover story of Snuffles the dog staying with the family over the summer. There was a dog bed, a water bowl and a food bowl all to keep the observers off the scent that Sirius Black the criminal was staying with the Grangers while working to clear his name and get his godson into safety.

Hermione's parents had barely been home half an hour when the phone rang.

"Good evening may I speak to Miss Hermione Granger. My name is Sharpspear and I am an account manager at Gringotts Bank", inquired the goblin called Sharpspear.

"One moment I will get her for you" advised Dr Emma Granger.

"Hermione Jean Granger get down here quick. The bank is on the phone for you. Tell me what the smick is going on. You can not be overdrawn since you don't have an adult account. Why would they be calling you at 6pm on a Thursday night", exclaimed Emma getting into full on stressed out concerned mother mode in about 2 seconds flat.

"Em dear let the girl find out first before giving her the third degree" advised Dan as Hermione trundled down the stairs to take the phone receiver from her mother.

"Hello Hermione Granger speaking" advised the brown haired witch wondering how they were going to play the scene. Fortunately both Snuffles and her father were standing close to provide support to the young witch.

"Hello Miss Granger it is Account Manager Sharpspear from Gringotts is it possible for you to come into the branch and discuss a couple of matters" the goblin asked politely.

"Excuse me sir I will just check with my father one moment please" advise Hermione before covering the receiver while she advised her father who was calling and what was going on. With a quick briefing from Dan, Hermione got back to Sharpspear informing him "My father has advised that if you want to you can drop round the house tonight or he will bring me into the branch tomorrow morning. We cannot get to the branch tonight due to the security concerns but we have an elf that can bring you into our home undetected. What ever is best for you?"

"Thank you for your invitation. If elf magic is not being detected we can assume that goblin magic is not also being detected as traditional wizards do not consider it. What time would be appropriate time to visit?" Sharpspear queried.

"Father has advised that 8pm would be convenient and that probably it would be best if you entered either by the rear garden or if you can pop in like the elves come into our study which is located on the ground floor near the family room", informed Hermione after a quick hand signal query about time using her watch and some basic BSL sign language.

"Certainly my colleague and I will see you both at 8pm. I look forward to meeting your family then. Good bye" stated Sharpspear hanging up the call after receiving his first personal invitation into the home of a mundane family. This young witch and her family must be remarkable and especially when she appears to have strong links with such a prestigious and ancient wizarding family.

"Ok lets face the music with your mother over dinner while we get organized for the visitors" advised Dan Granger as he ushered Hermione into the kitchen to help break the news of what was going on to Emma. There were going to be some fireworks but hopefully it would not be too bad as she already knew that they were minding a dog for a friend.

It was an interesting dinner where Dan Granger explained that there were concerns about the Headmaster at Hermione's school and his inaction in a child protection case. Sirius was not mentioned but it was explained that Hermione had been gathering procedural guidance so that the goblins could have evidence appropriately gathered by the Mundanes. The goblin involvement was explained that as her friend was a wizarding world orphan they were most likely to know the legal details of Harry's family estate such as his parents' wills. He quietly mentioned that they were doing this project very carefully as the Headmaster could cause considerable trouble for Hermione's future.

Hermione explained that her friend did not expect the non magical authorities to do anything as they had never done anything about the abuse that was clearly evident when he was in primary school. There was a suspicion that Headmaster Dumbledore had been involved earlier as he could has stopped the child protection reporting process through the use of magic.

Hermione described how lost and confused Harry had been in first year with his overlarge hand me down clothes. To her it was strange that Dumbledore would send Harry back to an abusive environment if he was so famous to the wizarding world. Hermione went on to explain how she knew that her friend had a history of abuse due to the signs she had observed over the last two years including seeming to go into a depressed mood when it came close to the end of year. She also added the details from the corroborating story of the Wealsey twins' rescue last summer when Harry had been locked in Dudsley's second bedroom.

"So the secrecy and the secret squirrel approach is to protect the family and Hermione's friend while you gather the evidence to take down the manipulative controlling bastard and the elitist system" summarized Emma Granger.

"Certainly you have nailed it in one love", advised Dan Granger. They had been so concerned that they were going to be excluded from their child's life when she left to go to boarding school but now here was a chance they could participate in her world and make a better future for their daughter.


	6. Goblin Home Visit

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Goblin Home Visit**

It was 8pm when there was a knock on the family room French window doors at the back of the house. Dan could not see anyone one but he unlocked the door and opened it. He felt the movement of fabric brushing his arm before the door was closed and the lock key turned. Suddenly the room curtains were closed. Snuffles had entered the room when the knock was heard and he was now doing a dog bow towards the closed curtain area. Two strange looking creatures appeared dressed in Victorian styled suits. That's right these are goblins that we saw at the bank when we visited Diagon Alley remembered Dan Granger.

"Welcome to our home. I am Dr Dan Granger and this is a friend's pet he is known as Snuffles. Will you please join the rest of the family in our study", advised Hermione's father as he gestured to proceed down the corridor following Snuffles who was leading where the goblins should head towards.

When they reached the study Hermione and her mother stood up from the desk area where they reviewing the resource materials Hermione had collected with Kretcher from the Ministry library that morning.

"This is my wife Dr Emma Granger and of course my daughter Hermione" said Dan as he introduced his family. "We have one more whom we are waiting on for this meeting" Dan advised before calling "Kretcher".

With a pop the elf appeared in the study. "All clear Dr Dan the watchers did not notice your visitors" Kretcher advised.

"Please have a seat sirs", advised Emma as she indicated the leather couch. "What can I get you to drink? I can put some dripulated coffee on for you or I have a selection of teas. Or would you prefer a cold drink such as orange juice" asked Emma being the gracious hostess.

The two goblins were very shocked, never before had they received such courtesy from humans. The invitation to a family home was such a rare event for the goblins that when the Grangers had invited Sharpspear to their home the bank's Head goblin had advised that he would be coming instead of the branch manager.

"It is a pleasure to meet with you this evening. I am Account Manager Sharpspear and this is King Ragnor who is the head of the goblin nation and of course the managing director of Gringotts bank. I recognize Kretcher and Snuffles. Do you have any green tea?" inquired the shorter of the two goblins.

"Good evening please just call me Ragnor. I wouldn't mind green tea too", advised the goblin who had silver hair.

"I will be making some Gyokuro tea for Kretcher if you want some" advised Hermione.

"We have a number of different tea types so if you prefer a Chinese green tea I have some Gun powder. We also have some black and red teas if they are more to your taste. What type of tea do you like?" inquired Emma Granger for the second time. The two goblins were surprised how their personal tastes were being catered for by these humans.

The goblins took Emma up on her offer of the Gunpowder green tea and the two women left for the kitchen while the elf sat in an office chair. "Kretcher would you like a lap blanket?" Dan was thinking of the older elf and how he seemed to feel the cold the other night.

"Yes please Dr Dan", advised Kretcher. While Dan looked after the elf and got him comfortable Snuffles settled down into his basket beside the elf's chair. Hermione came in with a butler's bed serving tea tray that she set up for Kretcher so he had a table in his chair. Hermione settled on the floor across the other side of the coffee table at her father's feet on a floor cushion.

Emma had brought in another tray which had a black chinese tea pot and five Chinese handless tea cups which matched the pot. Quickly pouring the tea she gave everyone a teacup before settling into a wingback chair next to the couch. The goblins glanced at each other raising their eyes in shock over the care that the family provided to the elf and then to themselves.

After taking a sip of her tea Emma made the statement "To business. Now that everyone is comfortable. Mr Sharpspear can I ask why you wanted to see my daughter so urgently. Please be advised they have only partially let me in on what is going on over dinner so you probably known more of what is going on than I do."

"Sorry Sharpspear and Ragnor, my wife is a little miffed with me over a number of issues including the presence of Snuffles. Given the security concerns I believe that we should refer to Hermione's classmate as Takahe. Mr Kretcher I understand is known to you Mr Sharpspear and he is representing the family and master whom you are the account manager for" advised Dan while Hermione wrote the word taboo with a question mark on a piece of paper along with the code names for the individual's they were discussing.

Reading the note both goblins acknowledged why they were using code names for the principals. So the family was extremely concerned over their safety and security.

"I visited the Ministry of Magic library today and found that Muttley never received a trial. He is innocent according to a number of sources. I have a file of evidence from his cousin and we believe we know who was responsible for the betrayal of Takahe's parents" Hermione advised the party as she then placed a copy of the news story from the Daily Prophet on the table where there was a photo of the Weasley family in Egypt. "The betrayer is an anagimus" Hermione advised Sharpspear as she circled the rat in Ronald Weasley's hands. "Muttley advised that he was not the secret keeper but rather Dirk Darstardly was the keeper. Additionally Muttley believes that Dirk was a Riddle muncher.

"We have some concerns over the family if they are betrayers to Takahe given their close links to Saruman. Saruman seems to have too many fingers in too many pies and seems to be manipulating everyone for his own reasons" added Dan.

"Can you clarify the term Riddle muncher please?" asked Ragnor. Hermione proceeded to write I am Lord Voldermort on the note page. Directly below she wrote the name Tom Marvolo Riddle. She then added Riddle muncher equals death eater to the list of code names. Pointing to the phrase she advised that it was anagram of the name while the name was the true name of the powerful Dark Lord leading the pure blood supremacist movement that caused the deaths of Takahe's parents and many others.

"Kretcher do you have some points to add" asked Dan.

"I knew Takahe's father when he was a child and I suspect that he has been badly treated as a younger child as he should be taller given his parents height. I have visited the house where he is now and he is badly treated. He is locked in a room with bars on the windows. There is a cat flap on the door and he is fed on a tray through this flap once a day. He is locked in. Takahe is let out once a day for a toilet break and shower. He also has a slops bucket in the room. He should be taller. All his clothes appear to be hand me downs from his larger cousin. I know that there is a copy of Takahe's parent wills in my master Mutley's vault that names him as the guardian of Takahe. Additionally it is known that it would be against the wishes of Takahe's parents for him to be placed with his Mundane aunt and uncle" advised the elderly elf as he sipped his frothy green tea.

Kretcher passed a wooden box to Hermione and she placed it on the table. "There is a dark object in the box which needs to be destroyed but if possible Muttley would like the object to be saved as it is believed to be the locket of Salazar Slytherin", advised the elf.

"From my research I support Muttley's view that this dark object is a particular type of soul magic" advised Hermione as she wrote the word horcrux on the name page under the anagram. "Potentially we are dealing with seven at the most as it would be getting down to 1/128th of Riddle's soul at this point. Takahe has already destroyed one other item the diary and this locket makes two. From the research and discussion with Muttley and Kretcher we believe that Takahe's scar from the 1981 incident is potentially another one."

"You are saying that Takahe has been carrying a dark soul piece for about 12 years while under the guardianship of Saruman and Saruman has never removed this evil from the child in his care" exclaimed an incensed Ragnor. The suggestions about the care of Takahe had received was total anathema for goblins are children were precious more than gold or gems.

"Takahe has been an inpatient of the school infirmary and not once it appears that he been treated for previous injuries from his family or it appears that any action has been undertaken to address the abusive family" advised Hermione looking at her father for support.

"I do not have a lot of faith in the school and school nurse as a health professional she should have recognized the symptoms of abuse. She is duty bound to report it to the authorities. Emma and I are required to attend safeguarding seminars to ensure we are up to date in identifying abuse and know our legal responsibility to notify authorities. Yet if this child has been in the infirmary as often as he has been over the last two years this nurse has not identified the abuse something is wrong in the state of Denmark" pontificated Dan. There had been a long discussion the previous night with Hermione and Sirius about how it would not be possible for Madam Pomphrey not to identify that Harry Potter had been a victim of abuse. Hermione had come clean with her father over a number of events that had happened in the last two years at Hogwarts and he was horrified that his daughter had been in such danger and the Headmaster appeared to do absolutely nothing about the issues identified and on at least one occasion actually put children in harms way.

"It seems that Saruman is the main problem here. We need a plan that Saruman can not interfere with to report the abuse, get justice for Muttley and addresses the control that Saruman has over three specific organisations. We need the bank to check transactions and paperwork to confirm that there is monetary reason for the betrayal and manipulation. We also need to address the other bits of Riddle so the pure blood supremacists get put out of action. Basically the UK wizarding society needs to be brought into the 22nd century and there needs to be a serious revolution to provide equality for all minorities and genders" summarized Emma after she had been listening to the discussion.

"The other issue we have Mum is that Saruman can use the Statue of Screacy to obliviate you. Basically he could wipe your memory of me and anything to do with magical Britain. We need to protect you and Dad so Saruman doesn't do something to you and therefore have a chance to attack me cause I am Takahe's friend. Thinking about what happens in the school he does not seem to have a strong anti bullying or discrimination approach in his management of the school", added Hermione. Emma Granger was horrified about the situation particularly since she was a post 1970s equality and anti-discrimination legislation working woman.

"Could we get you into protective accommodation?" asked Ragnor.

"We were thinking of selling our practice and we have a pretty good income from investments. We have a holiday house in France" advised Dan.

"We need to get Hermione the best magical education while gathering the information so we cab help her stage a magical revolution against these pure blood tossers. It sounds like the UK magical society needs a radical shake up", commented Emma.

Snuffles had sat patiently through out the discussion and evidence presentation and was now gently nudging Kretcher.

"Does he want oopsies?" inquired Emma.

"No sorry Madam", said Kretcher before he put a silencing charm on the room. "Snuffles you can change now", and with that the dark furred dog morphed into a man dressed in dark steel grey robes over a white business shirt and black trousers.

"That is bloody brilliant", exclaimed Emma.

Thank you, I am Muttley and Takahe is my godson. Either call me Muttley or Snuffles. It is nice to see you again Sharpspear. It is a pleasure to meet you King Ragnor sir" bowed Sirius as he greeted the Goblin Chief before pulling up a second wingback chair to join in the conversation.

Dan tapped Hermione on the shoulder and she stood up and went to a cupboard. Opening up the cupboard she got out six scotch glasses and put them on the coffee table before returning to get the matching decanter out. She collected the teacups and put them on the tray that Emma had brought in.

"Scotch for everyone or would you like another pot of tea. Hermione is going to put the kettle on and will probably be making hot chocolate so that is another choice. What would you like to drink?" inquired Dan of the goblins as he poured a dram for Sirius. "Kretcher do you want a nip?" he asked the elf.

"Can I have a toddy?" responded the elf.

"Certainly Mimi a toddy for Kretcher. Are you still feeling cold?" asked Dan "Do you want a hottie too?"

"Yes Please," responded the elf remembering the treat he had been introduced to the previous night.

"How about you gentlemen I hope you are not finding it too cold?" queried Dan.

"We are fine but Kretcher may be more sensitive since he is almost 120 years old and his family haven't been available to care for him for a number of years. We will join you in a dram" advised King Ragnor.

It was amazing these mundanes really didn't see any difference between elves, goblins and wizards. Even the pure blood wizard who was the head of a most ancient and most noble house acted in the same manner.

It was the gentle care of the young witch for the elderly elf that made King Ragnor's mind up. These humans were to be trusted and given help.

"I have a potential solution for you Drs Granger. I would like to extend the services of Gringotts to you for the sale of your practice and the financial management of your resources. We can transfer your account support from the non magical management team across to the goblin nation" advised Ragnor looking up to see the shocked looks of all four humans. "We own your normal bank and some others of course we don't just handle the wizarding economy. Of course when we were coming here tonight I checked our records for details on you.

Dan you have been getting a reasonable return on your investments but you would get a better return if you use the goblin account facilities as there are lower fees and a greater tax reduction. We could handle the sale of the practice through the HSBC front office and then transfer the balance to a vault account".

"Director Ragnor you honour my family thank you for your consideration", said Hermione. She glanced nervously at her parents and hoped like heck that they would accept the offer as it was not normal for first generation or non magical families to be offered vault accounts.

"Dan I would take their offer up as it is a very rare offer and demonstrates the great regard that they hold your family in", advised Sirius with a nod. He had gotten to know Dan Granger quite well in their scheming over the last day or so.

"Emma and I thank you sir for your offer and would like to accept. If you have any further advice for us I would greatly appreciated it" said Dan as he gently stroked Emma's hand. It was their personal signal between the two of the them that they believed that the other partner should just go along with them. Dan was sure he would have to explain his reasoning to his wife later but he had a gut feeling that this was the best option to enable them to remain part of Hermione's life and protect their family from the manipulation of the pure blood society that failed to acknowledge their parental rights. In this society as Sirius explained their daughter was not even a second class citizen she was a third class citizen almost the lowest of the low even though she was considered one of the brightest witches of her age.


	7. Plotting for the Takahe

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

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**Chapter 7: Plotting for the Takahe**

After listen to the conversation with the Goblin nation for a couple of hours Emma Granger stepped in to be a parent for Hermione and sent her to bed. Looking at Kretcher she also sent him to bed and put him upstairs in the guest room with a hotwater bottle and a couple of extra blankets. When she got back downstairs she gave both the human men a flea in their ear as the old elf was exhausted.

Turning round Emma apologized to the goblins that they had to listen to her scold but when it needed to be given, it needed to be given now. King Ragnor was enjoying the brutal honesty of this woman and the lack of artifice she had towards them.

"Now that small ears are no longer here to listen how are we going to make these egotistical bastards pay. I am curbing my language here as we have guests but I have a couple of names who I would like to perform hari kari on," she viciously announced.

Sirius was the brave one to ask "What is hari kari?" and she proceeded to give him a detailed explanation including how if she did it right they would have several feet of their gut outside of their bodies. Yes King Ragnor liked this feisty woman.

"Now how are we going to get the Takahe out of that house cause he cannot remain there," she asked.

That's where Sirius started to explain that he had a French maison in the Black estate that was a weekender and summer holiday home. If the goblin nation could provide the warding they could also do a fidelius charm on the place. The issue was how were they going to break the Takahe out while not blowing their covers.

Dan asked about house elf magic and found out that the Ministry of Magic did normally not track it. Sitting back in his executive chair he seemed to be lost in thought for a while. Emma explained that was his way particularly if he was scheming. Dan put down the glass and proceeded to draw madly on his mini white board and when he was finished he looked like a cat that had been in the cream.

Clearing off the large white board he listed out what resources the group had available to them. Apparently in an earlier discussion with Kretcher there had been the signs of another house elf seen at 4 Privet Drive logically this could only be the Elf D (Dobby) as he was identified on the white board.

Right get message into Takahe get him to order Elf D toWard the room with a notice me not charm so that the Dursleys forgot about the roomPut a memory charm on the Dursleys so that they forget about their nephew the elf D to slip him through from the house to safe pick up would need appropriate paperwork provided by the goblins so that Takahe was seen as a member of the immediate family, and they would need Pet passport for pack up for summer trip and drive out to their holiday house in France with the dog and pick Takahe up at a safe location. Elf D and K hide in the car and everyone goes off to France for the start of their ' household goods would need to be packed away and sent to new location. After everyone is safe in France sell off the house and the practice moving everything off shore.

That would get the kids and the family out while they dealt with the different issues of Snuffles' legal status along with getting rid of the false contracts and working a way to change the magical guardianship of Hermione. Working with their conspirators they needed to pull down and discredit Saruman, do something about cleaning up after the riddle munchers and apply an enema for the MOM

Talking it through a bit Sharpspear suggested that the goblin wards and protections be provided to a Black holiday house in the Haute Savoie on Lac Leman which was a different house to the one Snuffles was suggesting. They would be close to their Gringotts international Head Quarters so they could have a goblin alarm response. Additionally Sharpspear suggested that that the wizarding fidelius charm also be applied to the residence using Kretcher as the secret keeper as he was a loyal black elf and only Sirius had the right to command him and he could command him to keep the secret.

Sharpspear advised that the bank could supply a portkey from Calais so that they could dispose of the British plated car there. To replace the car they would provide two local plated cars at the new residence. They would also assist in transferring the documentation of the Grangers drivers' licenses over to a new address so from the mundane perspective they were living in the region.

The alternative address would be a second cottage that they would use as a buffer house to help protect the location of the house but have a presence in the local district. It could be also used as a hidey hole if they felt they had a tail on them and they could floo or port key out of there to either the bank or the hidden Black maison.

The key to the plan seemed to be getting a secure communication channel with the Takahe and getting him onboard with the plan to get him out of the country. This is were the Otter was going to be needed as she would have to make sure that the Takahe believed that correspondence was from Hermione and not a trick while also going along with the subterfuge. The goblin nation would also need to gather evidence to support the Black blood feud claims about the abusive situation of the child in his mundane family's care.

Since Dobby was a relative young elf he had not much experience of the mundane world other than the high jinx of tipping over a cake last summer and making sure that there was a magical signature detected at Takahe's mundane relative's house. They would need the Takahe to do the ordering of Dobby and that meant they would need to get a task list into him.

In the middle of the rapid discussion between the males Emma popped up with a question "Can you explain the ward thingies to me please?"

Between Sirius and Sharpspear there was a discussion of the different types of wards that could be used. Once Emma had a firm grasp on the details she asked was it possible for wards to be put up by wizards and what had stopped Saruman not having wards in place at Privet Drive.

That took the air out of their plans. Sirus explained that he only done the observation of Takahe in his amnimagus form so he could not tell you what type of wards were in place. "Right we need some reconnaissance done tonight" advised Dan as he got the A to Z out and looked for Little Whinging and saw that it was not that far away.

Starting up his desktop computer he proceeded to use google maps and look at the street scene while getting the driving directions. He headed out into the kitchen and gathered his keys off the hook, his coat and the dog lead for Snuffles. "Right fellows are we going to scope this joint tonight or not," Dan inquired.

Sharpspear advised him that he had one better than by car before stopping to look at the street scene. "I will be back in 10 minutes and will let you know about the wards. Come on Snuffles it is time for you to go for a midnight stroll" he advised before putting on his invisibility coat and heading towards the French Window doors. Dan was quick on the uptake since the drive was an hour there and covered the opening of the French window doors.

After the appropriate length of time Snuffles felt a presence against his side and he then barked at the door he had been let out of. Dan opened up and reminded Snuffles to wipe his paws. After the dog cleared the door he waited a bit longer before closing and locking up again.

Coming into the study the adult war council reconvened. Apparently there were weak wards on the house but there seemed to be some link to a watch alarm. The magicals were shooting round the ideas of what it could be linked to and Emma put her scotch hard down on her desk.

"That sodding bastard I bet Saruman doesn't even trust his own people who do the watching. Hermione advised that the Takahe only met Saruman when he went to school so how did he keep an eye on the child. I bet Saruman has an object in his office that is linked to the wards and he can check on it.

We need to get into his office and stop any tracing things on Takahe. We could use Kretcher do the sneaking as he is older and has more of an idea of what to look for. Dan said he did things to the devices here. So get Kretcher to do the same but this time in Saruman's office.

Now where are you planning to get Takahe out to so we can do the pick up?" inquired Emma.


	8. By Hook or By Crook

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

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**Chapter 8: By Hook or by Crook**

Hermione was awoken early the next morning by her mother as they had a lot of tasks to get done today. Sitting at the breakfast table the parents broke the news to their child that they were selling the house and practice and moving the family to France. There was a master list and everyone had been designated their own tasks. Hermione was sad that her childhood home was going to be sold but then decided to apply her inner Slytherin to wangle approval out of her family for the purchase of Crookshanks.

Before Dan and Hermione left for Diagon Alley they adjourned to the study where Hermione proceeded to write a very careful letter to Harry

There was some other purchases that Dan and Hermione had to complete this morning in Diagon Alley so they drove into the city to visit the shopping district bringing along the dog Snuffles for the outing. Snuffles walked very well on the lead and the dog seemed to lead the Grangers into Gringotts.

Since there was much to be done with the new Granger accounts Account Manager Sharpspear came out to greet them and treated Dan as though he had never met the man. Yes that was right they were trying to flush out the internal mole or moles so have to be on the alert in here. In the private office after the paperwork for the opening of the family vaults was done and the transfer of their HSBC accounts to the Geneva branch was organized, Dan was issued with new bankcards for all the family including Hermione.

Sharpspear explained that the property in France had been warded and the cars had been purchased and registered in Dan and Emma's name at the secondary cottage address. The goblin called for an elf and a large elf appeared in what like a pair of gardening overalls and wellington boots. This elf, Isambard, was the diversion cottage elf who would be looking after the property including managing the grounds. Isambard would also be the one who delivered the mail after it had been checked by the goblin mailroom service at the Geneva branch. After saying his hellos the elf used a port key to returned him to the French Cottage where he worked keeping the grounds and house maintained.

In addition to the new documents for Harry, which had been prepared for them Dan had a new French drivers license for the address of the diversion cottage. Dan explained that Hermione was buying a magical cat and they would need a pet passport for the animal which Sharpspear organized for the party very quickly.

Sirius had changed back into a human and completed a similar large amount of paperwork under the gaze of his long time goblin friend. Sharpspear then presented Sirius with a couple of trunks for his inspection. One was an apartment trunk that had been fully kitted out to his specification. There were two-specialist library trunks with 7 compartments of bookshelves. There were other empty trunks that Sirius flipped through happily. Sharpspear then presented to Sirius a curse breaker temporary wand and he proceeded to remove all the charms on Hermione and Dan.

Using the curse breaker wand Sirius magically packed all the other trunks into the apartment trunk before collapsing it down and giving it to Dan to put in his pocket. The last check of the paperwork was done in his holiday document folder and Sharpspear had issued the everyone holiday money in pounds and euros. There was a wallet for Harry which Dan took and placed in the Holiday document folder.

After visiting Gringotts the Grangers and Snuffles the dog visited the Magical Menagerie and purchased Crookshanks and a large number of supplies for this new family addition. They also purchased a long distance travelling cage for a large dog including unspillable water dispensers so the animals would not get thirsty on their journey and they could travel easily.

The family returned home where Emma had been busy on the phone organizing a locum service to cover their patients for the next month. She had also started to pack up the house with Kretcher's help. They had taken it slow and steady so not to over tax the elf as he had a large mission to do that evening. When Sirius transformed back into a human in the study Dan gave him his apartment trunk and they proceeded to pack the household items into the additional trunks.

It was a relatively fast operation with the assistance of elf magic. Emma had talked to Kretcher and they were being tricksy as the elf described by having three suitcases that were packed with clothes. Everything that had to be shrunk would be put in the apartment trunk either shrunk in boxes or shrunk into the various empty trunks that they had. All of Emma and Hermione's books fitted into just one of the library trunks, which surprised Dan as he was sure that they would need the second library trunk. Sirius was not phased on the lack of use of the trunk he explained that they would need the trunks if they wanted to move items from the family libraries.

Emma thought it was wonderful that she could transfer the fridge and freezer contents from her kitchen to the apartment kitchen. They also packed all the food cupboards and wine stash into the apartment trunk. After lunch all the dishes, crockery and cutlery was packed away. Basically all the cupboards in the house were bare. The study furniture and all the computers had been placed in the apartment trunk. Kretcher had already stripped and shrunk all the items in the garage, shed and the upstairs rooms. The downstairs rooms were going to be the last items just before they headed out to get on the road down to Kent. They had a chunnel booking for 7pm.

The car was on the drive where Dan and Hermione were cleaning out and washing it. It was vacuumed and everything was setup for the packing of the estate car. This family like many had a system. The cage for Snuffles was placed in the boot to ensure that there was room for the easy entry and exit of the dog. Travel blankets and pillows were put in the backseat. The first suitcase was brought out and placed next the cage. Yes thought Dan there is enough room. The trip icebox was packed with several rounds of ham sandwiches, bottles of water and a variety of fruit for everyone.

With a last look round the house the Grangers said good bye as Kretcher shrunk the downstairs furniture and placed them in the storage trunks before placing them in the apartment trunk. When the apartment trunk had been packed. Kretcher shrunk it and Dan placed it in one of the suitcases they had left in the house before doing the last double check of the windows and doors. Once the remote timers had been set and the final checks had been done Dan brought the suitcases out to the car. Dan was especially thankful that the feather light charm had been applied to the trunks cause there was no way in hell he would be able to lift all that furniture. The cases were placed in the car boot.

Snuffles was called and placed in his travel cage. Crookshanks was captured and placed back in his travelling cage. He had been kept in the downstairs bathroom so he wouldn't get lost. His travel cage was paced on top of the strapped down dog cage and then securely anchored to it. The cages were anchored down so they would not move around too much. The travelling water trays were topped up and Hermione brought out Snuffles dog bed and his other items and placed them on the top of the suitcases. Yes dad could see out of the back window.

The Granger party of the escape plan where on their way and the breakout was on.


	9. Tom Dick or Harry

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

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Chapter 9: Tom Dick or Harry

The escape plans for Harry was launched with the following letter that was delivered by a disillusioned Kretcher. Harry was snoozing in the late afternoon heat when he was awoken with an envelope with the familiar writing of Hermione placed on his face. He was gently tugged by something to encourage him to wake and when he took the envelope off his face so he could put his glasses on the envelope started to poke him. It did not take long for Harry to get the message that he needed to read this missive from Hermione urgently. Grasping the envelope he opened it and proceeded to read Hermione's letter to him.

Xxxx

Dear Harry

Please don't be too surprised by this letter and please keep it secret. I have asked a friend to deliver this post to you since we are both currently being watched and our mail is being interfered with. The Headmaster apparently believes that we should not be communicating during the summer but fuck that for a load of monkeys.

Harry now that you have recovered from me swearing I am going to ask you to trust me. The first thing I am asking you to do is to think logically and calmly. Yes this is a letter from Hermione don't you recognize my handwriting you have copied often enough from my notes when you have been doing Homework. The second thing is I can prove it is me by telling you something only you and I know. When I kissed you goodbye last summer it was the first time you ever remember being kissed.

Yes I know about your horrible home life and I with some magical friends including my parents have come up with a plan to get you out of that house and to take you on holiday. By the way you will never be going back there if my mum gets her way. I should point out she normally does get her own way. Where do you think I get my bossiness?

Now I need you do a couple of things for me and you have to do everything on this list **in order.**

1. Call for Dobby. I know I know but he can be told to hide his magic.

2. Tell him you know that he is bound to you so you need him to hide his elf magic. The last thing we need is another underage magic charge or to alert the watchers. You may have to ORDER him to hide his magic. Don't let him hurt himself we don't have time for theatrics as we need him to do as he is told and quietly. Tell him that you have a number of tasks that you need him to do tonight and it is important that he is not discovered, as it is imperative for your safety. Explain to him that you are in great danger and you have to flee the bad wizards and your bad family with his help.

3. Ask Dobby to remove all the charms on Hedwig and place a temporary disillusion charm on her and then get him to release her. Tell her she needs to fly to Sharpspear at Gringotts. He is my family banker so he will be able to get her to you when we get you to a safe location.

4. Call for the elf "Kretcher". Introduce Dobby to Kretcher and explain that he is with me helping to get you out safely.

5. Get Dobby to collect everything you own on your bed. It may be a good idea to ask for him to find everything that belonged to your parents and some of their friends. Ask him to check if there is anything that belonged to Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Lily Evans, Lily Potter and James Potter in the house.

6. Then ask Kretcher to make sure there is no tracking charms on any of the items and if there is get him to remove them before packing everything of yours in your school trunk.

7. Don't leave anything behind. Yes that includes the handme down clothes from your family we need it as it is evidence of their maltreatment of you.

8. When you have packed everything. Ask Dobby to shrink everything so that you can put your trunk in your pocket.

9. Ask Kretcher to take photos of your room and the room under the stairs. He will also need to take photos of the whole house. Remind him it is for Auror evidence he will know what we mean. When he is finished he is to come back to you.

10. Ask Dobby to place an elf notice me not charm on the bedroom so that your family don't observe your bedroom.

11. Get Dobby to place a memory charm on your muggle family where they forget all about you.

12. Ask Dobby to set a charm on your bedside light so it comes on for a couple of hours in the evening. This is for the Headmaster's watchers. We need to convince them that you are still in the house.

13. When you are sure that you have everything on this list so far and double checked it yet again tell Kretcher to go to the Headmasters office at Hogwarts and deal with all the tricksy items that are linked to you and me. If there any thing else he wants to destroy he can do so. You have to tell him all of that.

14. When Kretcher has left for Hogwarts ask Dobby to place a disillusion charm on both of you before taking you to the Eurotunnel Folkestone Passenger Terminal in Cheriton by elf appiration. Tell him you are taking him with you on this escape journey so he is to follow your lead when you get to the terminal.

15. When you see me in the passenger terminal tap me on the shoulder. The both of you are to follow me out to my family car and get in when I open the door.

We will be able to go from there. Basically Harry my family and your friends are breaking you out however you can't tell anyone about it. You have to bring this letter with you and we can destroy it when you see me. Don't trust any of the other magicals including the Weasleys until we can confirm that they are not a threat to you.

Every thing has been arranged and we have all the paperwork you need such as your passport. I need you to trust me my best friend as I cannot stand to know that you are locked in a room and are only let out once a day.

Good Luck and I look forward to seeing you at 6:30pm tonight.

Love

Hermione.

Xxx

Harry felt shocked that she had gone to so much effort. Checking the time he swore before promptly deciding to get on with the list of tasks set by Hermione. He had learnt in the first year when she gave you an action plan it was usually a good idea to follow it. Starting with the first item on his list he called "Dobby" and the Harry escape plan was on.


	10. Passport Control

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Passport control**

At the Eurotunnel Passenger Terminal Snuffles was let out on the lead to the dog walking area and given the opportunity for a whopsies. Taking the dog back to the car Hermione loaded him into the cage and then checked on Crookshanks who was blissed out with his catnip mouse.

Checking her watch Hermione looked at the time and with Emma entered the terminal. After a quick pit stop, Hermione was walking through the terminal while Emma was doing the normal duty free shopping. While looking up at the internal clock inside the centre she felt a tap on her shoulder. With a wave to her mother she headed back to the car and opened up the back door. She heard the click of the seat belt they were in the car. Hermione got into her normal seat and buckled up.

A couple of minutes later Emma raced out with her shopping closed the boot and then jumped in the front seat alerting them that their boarding call had been announced on the boards. Once Dan had started the car and they had moved out of the car park he gave instructions to Harry to lay his head down on the pillow and pretend that he was asleep. Dobby needed to take the disillusion charm off as they went through checking and border control. So when they were in the lane for the first check there was a request for the disillusionment to be lifted.

The family passed through easily and was loaded onto the train. Hermione was able to wake up Harry and he wanted to ask her questions. She shook her head and proceeded to open up the ice box so she could feed him he looked famished. Emma recommended that he take it slowly on the food in small amounts.

After the 30 minute journey underground it was a relief when they drove out of the Chunnel Calais terminal. They drove down the road to the Ibis hotel where they got out of the car and with the elves unpacked into their checked in room. Dan had taken Snuffles for a walk and was seen walking back in the hotel with a tall dark haired man who had a ready smile.

Harry was introduced to Snuffles in the suite and by this point he was going a little spare for an explanation. Hermione briefly explained they still had a bit to go before they could explain what was going on but he had to use the code name of Snuffles for the tall man. Carefully the adults each picked up a suitcase when there was a goblin appiration into the room it was Sharpspear. All the pillows, blankets and the dog bed had been placed inside the dog cage and Dobby shrunk it down and Dan added it to his pocket.

Emma had a suitcase and her handbag tote with the holiday document folder. Dan had another suitcase and the ice box while Sirius had the last suitcase. Kretcher confirmed that there was nothing left in the car that enabled it to be identified and then compacted it before taking it into the room putting the dinky toy sized car on the room table. Sharpspear collected the car and put it in his pocket. Out of another pocket he produced a portkey and asked everyone to hold onto it before he activated it. Everyone including the elves checked that they had good hold on the luggage before grasping the wooden name plate and Sharpspear activated the portkey to take them to the Haute Savoie property.

After picking himself of the floor Dan looked around before he whistled. "If this is a little Summer holiday place your mob must be rolling in it."

As soon as they were inside and keyed into the wards Sharpspear suggested that it would be a good time to the fidelius charm. Kretcher was made the secret keeper and he gave everyone a piece of paper with the name of the property written on it. This was the Maison Havre de Paix.

Once they could reenter the building Emma bustled into action and demanded that suitcase with the apartment trunk be unpacked. Once the trunk was expanded to full size she got into the kitchen and whipped up a quick meal for the eight of them. Again Sharpspear was surprised by the care that she had for the elves and himself. She really did want to make sure that he was catered for. He loved her idea of a blue steak. Snuffles got a kiss for his apartment trunk.

Emma had done a mini recognizance with Kretcher and they had worked who was bunking where. Dobby was put to work with his magic of making up beds from a linen trunk.

Harry was getting very very peeved and wanted to know what on earth was going on. When he shouted at Hermione, Dan stepped in and suggested they all could do with some shut eye before they discussed the issues.

Xxxx

Harry was up early the next morning wondering if now he was going to get some answers. Hermione came into his room and when she did not find him she went in search of him. Sitting in the living room with a mug of tea looking out the large landscape window that overlooked the lake she found him already emotional.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on or are you going to be like the Headmaster and try to keep me as a mushroom" he asked her dejectedly.

"Never Harry don't put me in the same league as the fucking wanker. I have bad news and last night we were all overtired as we had been running on an adrenalin high since early in the morning. We have had to do some major scheming in the last couple of days and we will need to do some more before this all plays out.

"Hermione I can wait any more for the shoe to drop just tell me" he implored her.

"Right to tell this tale we need the people who can tell their parts of this story. Put the kettle on and we will need to make some rugby coffee. I will go and get everyone up and we will tell you the tale. Just please be patient with us. I am going to ask for your wand cause I have a feeling you might engage in hex first and ask the important questions much later" she advised him. Still trusting her he reluctantly handed over his wand to her while the whole time his eyes were pleading at her.

She proceeded to wake the rest of the household and when they were all gathered in the living room with the appropriate caffeine beverage the tale started.

Hermione introduced Snuffles to explain how the correspondence between the two had started while Kretcher had got Dobby to bring out the large white board from Dan and Emma' old study out of the trunk and put up against the cupboards. Then Dan took over as a facilitator to gently introduce the timeline of Harry's life with an appropriate diagram on the board. The manipulation of Dumbledore was highlighted by all of them when they went through the various events that had occurred in his life and the children's short academic career at Hogwarts.

Emma sat on one side of Harry and Hermione on the other and the two gave him comfort as he tried to deal with the reality of the scale of the manipulation.

Hermione took over about the facts she had discovered and the implications for first generation magicals like herself and risks of having the Headmaster as their magical guardian. Emma did a mini rant off the deep end and Harry joined her as it had hit him that the old coot could have contracted his mother. Sirius was quick to reassure the boy that his parents were a love match but that did not dispel the anger about how this wizard used people.

Hermione took a deep breath it was time to confront the elephant in the room the Dursleys abuse of Harry. This was where Sharpspear stepped up and asked Harry whether he was willing to trust his friend again and take 3 drops of Veritaserum. He agreed after it was explained that his account of the abuse would be needed for the courts and this way here with friends and family would be better than with in a courtroom.

The tension was palpable, as it seemed Harry took forever to make his decision. It was Emma who was whispering in his ear that as a health professional both her and Dan recognized the signs of child abuse. She explained that Hermione as their little brainy swot would have made the same conclusion long ago. If he took the potion and told them about what had happened it would be able to be used as evidence to charge them and the man who left him there. He would not have to say it ever again if he didn't want to as they would have a recording. It was a necessary evil if they were ever going to get the Dursleys and the Headmaster punished for his childhood. "Harry we don't want you to keep being in danger from your own family and do you want this man to be able to do this to another child?" she asked him. They needed the evidence to take the master manipulator down but it was up to him. Sitting rubbing him comfortingly on the back Emma was hoping that this boy had the bravery now to take this step.

When Harry agreed to do it the room became a hive activity as the room was rapidly changed when Sharpspear got a solicitor's reporting quill out and everyone except Dan, Emma and Harry went to action stations. Emma just sat there holding Harry just providing the comforting reassurance of a mother holding a child. When the rest of the group were ready Sirius on his knees before Harry explained the procedure. As a former Auror he wanted to make sure they got the evidence but he also wanted to be sure Harry was ready and able to do this.

It was horrendous to hear about the abuse. After hearing about the abuse Sirius coached Harry in the removal of the memories so that they could be copied into a Solicitor's pensive which Sharpspear provided. Harry did not really want the memories back but could understand why he needed to hold on to them. When they had finished Dan asked Kretcher to get the calming potion that was duly administered to all.

Emma took Harry and Hermione to her room with the assistance of Dobby. When Dan later checked on her he found the four of them cuddling together asleep. Even the bouncy Dobby had been worn out by the whole sad experience of hearing about the horror of Harry's life before Hogwarts.

Xxxx

Kretcher was pouring scotch for the four of them when Dan returned to the living room. "So how do we make him pay and make sure we protect the kids from him?" he inquired.

With that the four of them started to identify the issues.

Sirius had gotten used to Dan's whiteboard addiction cleared it and from his seat was listing the key points of their discussion on the board.

The four of them had got considerably further into the scotch when Emma came into the Living Room. Kretcher was swaying in his seat and she could see that Sirius had been crying into his drink over everything that had happened to his godson. After looking at the lushes with some asperity she stood and regarded the whiteboard notes. She stood there for nearly fifteen minutes and looked at all the points they had listed before turning round to get Dobby so she could sober up Kretcher and may be if she was feeling charitable she might do the rest of them.

After retrieving Dobby to give Kretcher some of the hangover and pepper up potion she sat down next to the elf to ask some questions. Sharpspear had watched her and he could see the similarities between mother and daughter both were lionesses. He was not drunk like the humans and the elf but he was slightly affected by the bottle of scotch he had imbibed. Sharpspear moved, alerting the elves and Emma that he was conscious and fairly alert. He asked for some pepper up potion and knocked it back.

"Just what are you suggesting Emma?" he asked to make sure he had heard her last question correctly as he was trying to working out her plan.

"Does a magical guardian have to be human for a human child?"


	11. Off the wall

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Off the wall**

"Does a magical guardian have to be human for a human child?" inquired Emma Granger while closely looking at the non-human magicals who were now staring at her. What was she suggesting? She couldn't be suggesting no never.

"Emma while it is not normally the done thing I can not see why it cant be done. There are no laws in place but who are you thinking of house elves or goblins?" inquired Kretcher who as he gotten to know the woman had begun to trust her for her straight talking and kindness to all.

"If you are suggesting that I think you we will need to get someone with higher authority in. King Ragnor will need a written invite to Maison Havre de Paix Kretcher do you think we can organise that" Sharpspear inquired of the older elf.

"Certainly" was the response before he popped out of the living room.

Since the regal goblin was coming to the residence Emma took pity on the two inebriated men and asked Dobby to get some sobering up potion so she could get them compos mentis. Additionally since lunch and breakfast had been a little on the light side thanks to them only snacking on finger foods she looked into the trunk kitchen and organized dinner. They had a nice joint of pork so she put that on after salting the fat to make sure they would have crackling. After sending both men to the showers so that they freshened up with Dobby's help she prepared the vegetable trays for roasting they would go in the oven in about an hour. Waking up the two children she suggested that they get cleaned up and ready as there was going to be a dinner guest.

Dobby with his magic helped clean up the living area while Emma investigated the Maison in a little more. She found the formal dining room and with the small elf's help set the table using her best linen and crockery. They had almost unpacked all of the Granger's belongings into the house before the return of Kretcher with King Ragnor.

King Ragnor arrived at the Maison and the adult groups had settled into the lounge area when Sharpspear asked Emma to ask her question again.

Emma thought she would go along with the goblin as he knew his King better than she did. "I was wondering does a magical guardian have to be human for a human child?"

Sirius started laughing at the audacity of it. "Oh Emma you wicked woman" he gasped.

"Are you saying that you want the magical guardianship of Hermione to be taken over by the goblin nation?" asked Ragnor.

"If wizards are willing to entrust their gold to the goblin nation why can't the magical guardianship be taken on by the goblin nation?"

"I don't think it has been done before" advised Sharpspear.

"If all muggleborn children in the UK have Gringotts as their magical guardian the trust services that the bank has already for its accounts including lawyers and financial managers would be able to act on the behalf of the child. The organization has the people and the systems already in place and Dumb as Dore could have the heavy burden lifted off as he already has what was it Three jobs".

"We could use Harry's case as the precedent. If Ragnor declares him a ward of the Goblin Nation and we work towards getting Sirius a trial while not openly bring it up. Who do we know in you magical law enforcement who has children round the kids ages and who are not blindly pro dumbles."

"Mum we have Susan Bones in our class her Aunt is apparently someone in the MLE according to the way the Slytherin students avoid her," advised her daughter appearing after her shower. "Hello Ragnor we have made it so far Harry will be out in a moment".

"Amelia Bones she would be good but we would have to hide me from her as she would hex my balls. If she thinks I am an escapee she will take me down hard and fast. I am not even sure if she knows about me being Snuffles," said the former Auror with a great amount of respect for the female Auror.

"We need to get Andromedia into the scheming but we have to be careful as her daughter is in the current Order of Phoenix. We also need to look into getting Remus on side. On the Pettigrew issue we know where he will be at the start of the school year and we have the means to get him thanks to map and with some house elf assistance"

"Can we use the elf assistance now to get the rat?" inquired Dan.

"Well in the original plans it was just me and Kretcher before I contacted you guys the Grangers. Kretcher has been left alone for so long that he has got very weak. I did not think he was strong enough to do a trip to Egypt and snatch the rat from the family" advised the former prisoner.

"Master Sirius you really care for me and I am getting stronger. We have young Dobby now he could do the rat catching job," advised the touched house elf.

"Of course I care for you. You have been with the family for so many years and you looked after me when I came through the doors at the house" advised Sirius.

Dan reverted to his facilitator role. "Right lets look at this logically and see who and what and when. We need to make sure we do everything to protect Harry and the rest of the children from that delusional fool"

Harry appeared in the lounge room and he was introduced to King Ragnor. The planning was underway. Tomorrow Harry would have a goblin medical at the bank headquarters in Geneva about 30 minutes drive away from the house. They would do some exploring and find out when was the local market days.

The Dinner was served and Harry started to feel very comfortable with the mixed group. He had told them of his life with the Dursleys and they still accepted him. Emma was motherly but not over powering like Mrs Weasley. She seemed to know when he needed comfort and gently gave it to him but treated him the same as her daughter. Sirius had told stories about his parents when they were in school and Harry lapped it up. It was funny to hear about the mischief his dad had gotten up to in school. There were many laughs. Dan and Emma traded a story from when they were training as dentists it seemed that practical jokes were common amongst the student population no matter were you where.

After dinner the group came to a consensus about some of the further actions that they would undertake and Hermione was required to write a letter to Andromedia Tonks.

Xxxx

Dear Madam Tonks

Thank you for your assistance the other day in Flourish and Blotts. I have had a chance to review the books I have and I now have some questions about the use of magic in a muggle household.

We are currently in France staying at our summer holiday home and I was wondering if you could assist me in demonstrating some of the home management charms. My understanding is that under the French law I am able to practice magic in my home.

Mother would like to meet you and thank you for your assistance. I think she wants someone competent to supervise my application of magical charms to the holiday home. If we could impinge on your time would it be possible for you and your husband to come to afternoon tea or late supper on Tuesday. We were uncertain about your practice hours and if you had finished seeing patients.

Please advise when it would be suitable.

Yours sincerely,

Hermione J Granger


	12. Medical Investigation

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Medical Investigation**

Andromedia Tonks nee Black received a lovely little letter from Hermione Granger which intrigued her and reading between the lines she had the message that her cousin Sirius and his godson Harry were out of the country and safe in France. She was being invited to visit them along with the Grangers. Ted was invited too but there was no mention of Dora, which was a good idea as she was involved in the Order of Phoenix and she could slip up and accidently let someone know that she was in contact with a criminal on the run.

Checking her schedule she found that she was not available in the afternoon but she could do a dinner appointment with Ted. She sent a polite note off with the lovely owl who had brought her the letter after letting it rest in their bird loft for a little while as it obviously been on a very long journey.

Xxxx

After the drive along the side of Lac Leman before the boarder crossing where their French plated car was waved through and on into Geneva the Granger party was rather intrigued by the Gringotts Headquarters. Snuffles the dog was with them and it did not raise an eyebrow with the locals when the family group entered the high tech security entrance for an exclusive bank.

Gringotts Headquarters utilized modern non magical technology to help blend in with the local surroundings. After being taken into a private office area Snuffles changed back to Sirius and then the paperwork began for many of the party. Talking to Sharpspear Emma and Hermione went with Harry for his medical assessment. It was heart breaking for Emma to observe the signs of abuse that this child had been put through. The healers in consultation with Emma developed a new health régime for the young lord and identified a number of treatments that he needed. Emma refused to allow any further treatment until they had the permission of his guardian. As an aside Emma asked a couple of questions about some of the findings of the report and she then asked for Hermione to be assessed in the same manner as Harry. After the report for Hermione was produced Emma suggested that chief healer present his findings in person to her husband and Harry's guardian.

When Emma came through the door Dan knew instantly that the volcano was about to blow. She had that look of barely reigned in fury that she was about to unleash on someone.

"Sirius mate I think I am going to need some help here settling some ruffled feathers and I don't want the whole world knowing our business could we get you to do some silencing" he said as he wiggled his fingers. Looking at Emma Sirius quickly put two and two together to read one Mother on the warpath and assisted with applying some silencing spells.

"Sharpspear we need Ragnor here now" snapped the infuriated woman.

Being a goblin banker for many years had enabled Sharpspear to realize that this woman was extremely angry and if she believed that King Ragnor should be here to hear the medical report he was not going to argue with her as a medical professional it must be bad for her to react in this manner.

After a quick interoffice call King Ragnor appeared and the Master Healer Gulp was falling over himself in front of the goblin ruler. "Right to business what is the report on Harry"

With that the Healer duplicated the medical report and passed it round to all the adults in the room. Hermione made a comment and the two children and house elves got a copy to share between them.

All the old breaks were listed including a number of poorly healed breaks. Evidence of many years of malnutrition that had stunted his growth. Knew that one already along with poor eyesight due to malnutrition and incorrect prescription for eyes. Not that surprised since according to Harry Aunt Petunia had got the glasses from a charity bin at the supermarket one day. Curse scar that had Class 9 Dark Magic associated with it. Always knew the scar was a problem but maybe they had a way to deal with it. Several bindings on his magical core then how did he do what he can do in class and when he needed to like fighting the troll?

It was the spluttering of Sirius that indicated that what was on file was shocking. How could Dumbles do this to Harry? Why had he never investigated the curse scar and binding his magical core repeatedly that was just …. He could not find the appropriate words for it other than diabolically wrong.

Emma then let the next bombshell drop. "Master Healer Gulp would you like to present the findings on my daughter to the rest of us please". Yes there was that tone of a Cobra ready to strike.

It turned out that Hermione also had her magic bound and mind manipulations performed on her. She was fuming herself to think that some wanker had played with her magic and her precious mind. Hermione's mind was racing a mile a minute. "Sharpspear do you have a list of the current board of Hogwart's school governors?" Hermione inquired after nibbling on her lip for a moment.

It was an interesting list as over third of them had children in the same year as Harry and Hermione. Madam Longbottom and Madam Bones were both identified as potential supporters. "I wonder if we could contact Madam Bones and Madam Longbottom and get them to agree to allow both Susan and Neville to be assessed using the same medical assessment process. If they find things untoward with their children they will not be happy," advised the young witch hoping that her hunch was right.

"Alice Longbottom would not be happy at all to hear that her son had been bound if that is what you are suggesting" advised Sirius. "Is she still working in the Auror Corps?"

"It is not Madam Alice Longbottom who is on the board but Madam Augusta Longbottom. Alice and Frank Longbottom have been in St Mungos since a short while after your incarceration when unfortunately your cousin and her husband applied the Cruciatus Curse on them for too long" explained Sharpshear.

"In that case we already have one in the pocket as a potential anti dumbles supporter. She would be a powerful one if we get her on our side" was the subdued response from a man who was shocked to hear about his former comrades in arms.

"Sharpspear take a squad and invite the two esteemed ladies and their wards to visit us today to stay for a couple of weeks. Emma can I impinge on your hospitality I need a secure location for them as this situation is really starting to get very complex," advised Ragnor.

"Of course Ragnor it would be a good idea if the muttley had a health check up as well before he reverts to Snuffles when your guests arrives" and with that Sirius found himself heading down to the medical bay area to get his own health check. Emma had suggested that Kretcher was checked over as well as they would need a report if they wanted to add more charges to the rap sheet over the false imprisonment. Yes she would fight like a lioness but she was as cunning as a snake and certainly highly venomous in her bite when she did strike.

Xxx

"Greetings Madam Longbottom I am sorry to disturb you this Sunday but I have been asked by King Ragnor to invite you for a visit to our Headquarters in Geneva."

"Master Accountant what brings this invitation in this manner" inquired Madam Longbottom whose hackles were already rising.

"We believe that it would be a good idea if you and Scion come to stay for two weeks" he responded hoping that this canny witch could read between the lines.

"Are Frank and Alice at risk?" she inquired.

"Not sure at the moment but if you come we could make an assessment this afternoon if a transfer is necessary" advised the goblin trying to give her the hint to hurry it up as he had another witch to see as well. "I have to see Madam Bones and her Scion as well this afternoon so we need to make some haste" he informed her flatly.

With some rapid commands the Dowager Longbottom had packed for her and Neville and given orders to the house elves as she locked down the Estate. A Portkey later found Augusta and Neville Longbottom in the offices were the Potter Granger party where located. After a quick introduction to all Sharpspear went off to see Madam Bones.

It seemed that a similar short consultation between Sharpspear and Madam Bones occurred. Apparently you don't knock a gift horse in the teeth when the goblins advise that there may be a potential threat to you and your heir. You take the advice seriously if you know what is good for you.

Just after Amelia and Susan Bones had arrived in the office Master Healer Gulp arrived with a medical report in the company of large dark grim like dog. The copy of the report was given to both King Ragnor and to the woman who was introduced as Dr Emma Granger.

"As a mother I am going to ask you both to trust me and enable Master Healer Gulp here to do a diagnostic assessment of all four of you. Don't worry Dan and I will be also having the same assessment. We have had some reports today which are highly concerning and we believe that it would be better to know the full extent of the issue we have before we start discussing it in great detail" advised Emma.

"Why?" inquired the head of MLE who wanted to know what the threat was.

"Why come when the goblins' invited you?" countered the woman with a tilt to her head that Harry had seen before when Hermione was about to use a logical argument for some reason.

"Because I would be stupid to ignore a warning about a threat to myself or my heir" intoned Augusta Longbottom.

"And since you are an intelligent and strong minded woman who defends her children and grandchildren you would do what is necessary to protect them. All can be explained but we need to check you four now," advised the woman in the end with a tone that was broaching no arguments.

As the group headed down to the medical bay Hermione and Harry had a quick discussion with Sirius over the findings of the reports and the potential implications. King Ragnor checked with Harry the facts of how he came to be with the Dursleys and when he first met Professor Dumbledore. Additional information about the number times both children had been in the infirmary had been gathered and noted. Sirius returned to his Snuffle form again just before Susan and Neville came back to the office.

"What is going on Harry?" inquired Neville.

"Just wait for a while it is important that you are patient," advised Hermione.

It was not long for the rest of the group to return to the office with the Healer in tow. To say Madam Longbottom was not happy was not surprising when you saw her face after reading the report on Neville. When she was given her own report she was ready to go on the war path.

"Can I share the reports with the rest of those present" asked the Healer. Emma and Dan readily agreed as an act of good faith. "Give the ladies a copy of Hermione's report please" suggested Emma. After reading the girl's report Madam Longbottom advised that her and Neville's files could be shared with the rest of the room. Amelia bowed to the consensus and shared her and Susan's files with the others.

It turned out that there were several things that both women did not know about their wards. When did Neville break his arm. Augusta had no memory of this or even being informed of this when he was at school additionally she most certainly had not bound his magic that tightly. Someone had been meddling in her mind and it was very disconcerting that this had been happening.

Susan had not seen her Aunt so upset in a very long time. She was very angry and Susan was unsure of how to act as she normally had somewhere to hide in the Manor when her Aunt did a rant about her work place and the stupidity of the minister. Now she was not sure whom her Aunt was angry at but it looked like she was about to spit chips after shredding someone a new orifice.

King Ragnor decided it was time to take control of the situation. "Kretcher and Dobby. Can you transport the ladies and Emma to the Summer house. I will bring Snuffles. Dan I will need you to drive the children home. When you get to the garage get the children to do a double floo to the house. We will need the time to start the discussion without some young ears as I have a feeling I will be hearing some swearing before we get down to a logical discussion."

Dan nodded and proceeded to herd the children out of the office and out of the bank to their car. On the drive back to the estate garage Hermione tried to explain to Neville and Susan what was going on and why there was so much cloak and dagger behavior being used.

Flooing into the Maison Dan found that there was some scotch out on the large kitchen table and the three women had taken up residence. With Dobby's assistance Emma was preparing lunch while to two other women appeared to be in shock. Emma had done the briefing to the two matriarchs of what had gone on previously with Harry and how the Grangers had not been informed as parents when their daughter was petrified for months. Additionally it seemed that the Grangers daughter's magic had also been bound by the same magical signature that had bound Harry's magic.

It was interesting to see this non magical woman work with the house elf to prepare the lunch. Emma even put the three goblins to work and there was a range of hot and cold food prepared. Kretcher had set the formal dinner table. Looking at the situation in the kitchen Dan hustled the kids to go and wash up and proceeded to see where the preparations were up to. Healer Glup was totally confused seeing King Ragnor following the orders of this human. There was a quick bite of gobblygook where Glup was ordered to go with the flow.

"Amelia I am going to ask you to take you MLE badge off for a moment and trust me again. Sirius Black was not the killer of Lily and James Potter. He was and still is Harry's godfather. His magic would not let him harm them or Harry and still be alive," stated Emma as Sirius transformed from Snuffles into his normal human form. The Auror was looking for her wand but Kretcher had already put a hold on it so it would not release from the Auror's wand holder. The kitchen had been a little dynamic until the two matrons had settled down to a calming scotch. Sirius had been put to work on the outside grill.

After Lunch was served and eaten Emma put the children on dish duty with Kretcher supervising while Dobby unpacked the new guests' bags in their rooms. Neville was put in Harry's room and Susan was going to share with Hermione. Dan took over his facilitator role again and advised that no offense to the goblin healers that they could not do any treatment until they got a third medical opinion on Tuesday. It was interesting for Emma to watch the tag team of Dan and Sirius as they laid out the facts and the grand plan to the two women. Healer Glup was surprised to learn that he would be staying at the strange house until further notice. When he heard who was the target of the three human women's ire he was glad he was staying at a safe house it would be needed afterwards as well.

Amelia read the transcript of Harry's interview and she wanted to string Dumbledore up by his toenails. Added to that his medical report was horrendous and she definitely wanted to line up Poppy Pomfrey up in her firing sights as well. The reports on all the children identified that there was something seriously wrong in the state of Denmark or in this case Hogwarts.

Xxx

Monday at the Maison ended up being a ladies day outing to the local market in Thonan-le-bains. It was an interesting day for Susan to see the ease that Hermione and her mother slipped from English into French and shopped to feed the household. Neville and Harry were introduced into the great game of golf with Dan and Sirius. The day had been a major learning and bonding experience for all concerned. Sharpspear had a shopping list set by the group and he would be bringing the items when he came to dinner on Tuesday night with King Ragnor. Healer Gulp and the house elves enjoyed a quiet day pottering around the summer villa.

Tuesday was a slow day around the house and everyone was settling into the holiday villa. Neville had found the gardens and grounds fascinating and ensued to advise everyone about his discoveries over the luncheon table. The Madam Longbottom and Bones were slightly baffled by the intergrated household and there was a mini confrontation with the other pure blood in the household to explain the whos and whys as it was extremely confusing for them. Why would these non magicals fight for all the first generation children? Why would they smuggle their daughter's friend out of the country? Why would they take the risk? The two ladies had been in severe culture shock since their arrival in the goblin banking headquarters on Sunday. Now it seemed that more were coming to the party with house guests on Tuesday night.

Xxx

Ted and Andy Tonks arrived in Geneva by goblin port key were they were met by King Ragnor and Sharpspear who flooed them into the Maison.

"Good evening Madam and Mr Tonks and thank you for coming tonight. Good Evening King Ragnor and Sharpspear if we all move to the lounge area we can meet the rest of the Maison's guests" advised Hermione as she directed traffic from the floo.

"Miss Andy" was the scream of joy from the older house elf as he raced to say hello to this former member of the House Black.

"Kretcher" was the warm response as she hugged the elderly elf.

"Any chance of a hug for this reprobate?" inquired a voice from behind her and Andy turned to see Sirius. She had not seen him in over 12 years. There was a hug for her cousin and some tears as well.

"Andy this is Drs Emma and Dan Granger the parents of Hermione and my godson Harry. Of course you know Amelia, her niece Susan, Madam Longbottom and her grandson, Neville. So this is a bit of a working dinner. We need you to give everyone the once over medically. We have a doctors report and a goblin healers report but a third time is a charm"

XXX

Sharpspear, King Ragnor, Dan and Sirius brought Ted up to speed to the situation. The both world lawyer was horrified to hear the story of Harry's life. The four children were all with Madam Bones and Longbottom while Madam Tonks was doing the full diagnostic checks. While Dan and Sirius went under Madam Tonks medical nose Ted was able to ask some clarification questions from all four children. The picture was pretty bleak and Ted believed he had a prima facie case for neglect and abuse for Harry in both the magical and non-magical world. Sirius was going to call a blood feud against Dumbledore and the House of Dumbledore as he wanted throw the book and then some at the old Coot for robbing years from both of their lives.

Dinner was pleasant and after dinner the three healers compared each others reports. "So we are all in agreement," inquired Emma when they reviewed Harry's files. The children were all sent off to bed and the final action plan for bringing the old coot was developed.


	13. Summons and Arrests

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Summons and Arrests**

The third week of the summer started as a quiet Monday but ended up with a large bang. The initial whimper of the anti Dumbledore faction started with the lodging of some paperwork by Ted Tonks with the family and civil courts at 8am . Lawyer Tonks also lodged a complaint with the MLE on the behalf of HJ Potter, HJ Granger, C Creevey, J Finch-Fletchley and P Clearwater. There were also a number of complaints lodged in the civil court from the parents of students about breach of trust and failure to provide a proper standard of education. Madam Longbottom, Bones and Tonks had been very active in the last week lining up their garden gnomes in a row so that they could deal with the old codger.

They were going to get him in a three pronged attack in the criminal, civil and family courts, through the board of school governors and via the goblin nation. Investigations were opened by Madam Bones into a number of events that had occurred in the last two years at Hogwarts. Not two hours after Albus Dumbledore left Hogwarts for his annual two weeks in Tenerife a number of writs arrived at the castle with the Aurors there to serve them. Minerva McGonagall as the Deputy was required to come into the MLE offices to hear the allegations and duly notified the board of governors to let them know what was happening. The Matron Poppy Pomfrey was taken into custody along with Severus Snape who was retrieved from his home at Spinners End.

An emergency family court hearing was heard on the Monday afternoon and the Grangers were named as Harry's non-magical guardians. Sharpspear as the Black and Potter estate manager applied to be his magical guardian to especially since his parents wishes were not listen to by the wizarding courts it would be in the best interest of Harry that he become the magical ward of Gringotts. When the court tribunal accepted this argument the Grangers promptly lodged a motion for the court that since the Headmaster as Harry's magical guardian had failed in his responsibility he therefore should not be the magical guardian of any child. As the Grangers had the evidence of the Headmaster's failure to act on the behalf of the children in his care the Wizengamot tribunal had no choice but to declare that all first generation witches and wizards the magical wards of Gringotts.

After the family court tribunal session in one court the group moved into another court session where the Durselys had a fast track criminal trial for their neglect and abuse of a known magical child. Harry asked for three things: his mundane family be relocated, that the obliviators went to work removing their knowledge of him and magic removed from their memories, and that he never ever had to see them ever again.

Dobby with the assistance of a couple of Gringott's employees in Egypt had gone rat hunting over the weekend and a rat was delivered to Madam Bones' MLE office in a steel cage on the Monday at 7am. She had come in early to get ready for the busy day that she knew was coming. Considering the chaos that the Lawyer Tonks was creating with his paper work Madam Bones was required to call in all off duty Aurors to help in dealing with the shear number of complaints that had been generated by parents against the school.

With the kerfuffle over the Harry Potter case the late afternoon presentation of a formal appeal on the behalf of Sirius Black did not really rate on the radar of those busy bodies who liked to sit in on court cases.

When Madam Bones appeared in the appeal hearing for the MLE she lodged a couple of facts to the panel that a Sirius Black had never had a trial, he could not have betrayed the Potters as he had given his magical oath a the godfather of the child to protect, and Peter Pettigrew was alive. When she presented the rat Madam Umbridge was ready to laugh the appeal out of the courtroom but Madam Longbottom who was sitting as the chair for the panel and asked Madam Bones to present her case. When that rat was proven to be Peter Pettigrew the doubt was blown out of the water. The questioning of Peter Pettigrew under veritaserum led to the fact it was he who killed 13 muggles and betrayed the Potters as a marked Death Eater. In the 11 questions that was put to the criminal there were some carefully prepared wording that suddenly challenged the previous claim of other Death Eaters being under the Imperius Curse. Suddenly all the old cases had to be reviewed and those who had claimed Imperius Curse rapidly found that they had arrest warrants put out for them. The Aurors were very very busy on that Monday.

Once Cornelius Fudge was notified that Peter Pettigrew was alive and had just been found guilty for the betrayal of the Potters it was suggested that it would be good publicity for him to be seen shaking the hand of the formerly wanted innocent man, Sirius Black . Amelia and Augusta suggested that it would secure his popularity with the public since they were pretty sure that there was going to be a metaphorical lynching of Albus Dumbledore. Lord Sirius Orion Black had been produced before the appeal panel and questioned under veritaserum confirming his innocence and proving that he could not have betrayed his friends or his godson.

Rita Skeeter had a field day when it was heard that Boy-who-lived was abused by his muggle family and Dumbledore knew about it. When she was tipped off that Harry Potter was in an emergency family court session and parents had lodged a number of complaints about Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore she was in seventh heaven. Madam Tonks provided her with some inside information and it was gold dust. When Sharpspear from the goblin nation was willing to talk to her she felt like she had hit the jackpot. She made sure that she had her camera ready and got the top shots of the boy who lived and the Grangers. She later got the scoop about Lord Black being innocent with a wonderful sound bite and photo with the Minister.

Since the school governors numbers were down thanks to the recent arrests of a number of their members who were marked death eaters on the Tuesday of the third week of the holidays the governors board appointed two muggle parents to the board for the first time ever. Dr Dan Granger and Lord Finch-Fletchley were also joined by Mr Amos Diggory and Madam Zambini as new members of the board in the emergency meeting and suddenly radical changes were put into place for the school. Changes to the current teaching staff and policies about bullying were put into place. Professor Snape was put on probation if he was cleared by the MLE. On the safe side they were looking out for a new head of Slytherin and a new potions teacher. Binns was to be exorcised and the muggle studies coursework was going to have a major review and update.

By the time Albus Dumbledore had got a port key back from Tenerife after reading the morning copy of the Daily Prophet he had been removed from position of Headmaster of Hogwarts. On his arrival at the International Portkey office in London he was taken into custody by a team of hitwizards and the Supreme Mugwump found himself cooling his heals in a MLE high security cell. His charge sheet was increasing by the hour as complaint after complaint was investigated.

Madam Pomfrey was investigated and assessed where it was found that she had been frequently oblivated by the same magical signature as the person who had fiddled with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger's magical cores. She now had the label as an unfortunate victim rather than that as a negligent practitioner.

In an emergency sitting of the full Wizengamot on the Wednesday Albus Dumbledore was removed from the position of Chief of the Wizengamot after bringing the justice system into disrepute. This then led to his removal as the UK representative at the International Confederation of Wizards thus effectively removing him as the Supreme Mugwump.

By Friday morning Albus Dumbledore had been found guilty by the Wizengamot for a number of crimes including child endangerment, neglect, and attempted corporate manslaughter. The goblin nation had done some auditing of the Potter accounts and proceeded to lay fraud charges and when Sirius called for a blood feud against the House Dumbledore and Albus Dumbledore the Wizengamot asked what Lord Black wanted done with the man. Sirius asked if he could be handed over to the goblins to work his debt off to both noble houses. It was clear for Dumbledore as he was handed over that now he would never achieve any more greatness and his power and influence was broken. As Aberforth Dumbledore was in dispute with his brother Sirius declared him free from the blood debt.


	14. The Return to Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 14: The Return to Hogwarts**

By the time the students returned to Hogwarts for the start of the third year there had been a number of changes within the institution and with some of the students. The magic of several students had been unbound during the summer and it had resulted in a rapid growth in them. Harry had had some intensive potions to address his malnutrition and now did not need glasses but had them anyway with a clear lens. Why give up the advantage to the potential attacker? Harry had also had a considerable growth spurt and he bulked up.

The goblin healers treated the cursed scar and Harry felt considerably better along with having better emotional control. Hermione had her magical binding released and she felt better than she had done in months since she had been un-petrified.

The relationship between Harry and Sirius had developed and the Maison had been a lovely base for the healing and renewal that everyone needed post the trials and tribulations. Emma and Sirius had consulted Andromedia to find a mind healer for Harry and he was seeing this therapist on a regular basis.

Naricissa had got her marriage dissolved with the assistance of Sirius and, he took her and Draco back into the family Black. Andromedia and Nymphadora had been returned to the family and Ted Tonks had been acknowledge as a family member giving him the protection of the Noble and Ancient House.

Settlements for Andy and Dora had been made as is their rights as members of the House Black. Sirius as the Head of House had also gone in to bat against his enemies and Bella was outcast from the family eternally after her marriage was dissolved from Rodolphus Lestrange. As part of the retrieval of the Black dowry from the Lestrange vault the goblins found the dark object with the Class 9 curse similar to what they had removed from Harry. As a result of the object, the Hufflepuff cup, being found in the Bank the goblins had confiscated the rest of the vault contents and the Marauders' vault had been topped up with a share of the dividend after paying for all the legal services.

Sulk in the internal security unit of the bank had identified two goblins that were on the take with certain wizards and they found that they had summary justice as dragon feed.

Gringotts now had a first generation magical unit that had both Emma and Dan consulting for them. They also proceeded to negotiate and plan the open a new part time private dental practice on Charing Cross Road not far from the Leaky Cauldron. This way they could continue to keep their hand in while providing dental treatment for those in the wizarding community who found that magic did not fix their problems. Once the new clinic was open in September it was expected that it would not be long that many of the first generation school families would end up on their client list and it was suspected that many a first generation witch would be dragging her children in for the six monthly checks with Drs Granger.

The academic staff at Hogwarts had a bit of an influx. Remus Lupin was tracked down and frog marched by Sirius Black and Minerva McGonagall into the Defense against the Dark Arts position. Narcissa Black agreed to come and be the acting Head of Slytherin while teaching in the new subject replacing Muggle Studies called Society Politics and Government. This new subject was a social studies subject where the different society groups and their traditions would be studied. The new subject would be team teached by specialists in specific areas and it was now compulsory for all year groups. Narcissa Black would also assist in potions. While Severus Snape was still detained by the Ministry of Magic Andromedia was going to step up and cover the potions with the assistance of her sister while the school tried to recruit a full time potions professor.

The new board of Governors was really a breath of fresh air. The removal of the four death eaters from the Board of Governors suddenly freed up funds available for the school budget. Lucius Malfoy was found guilty of numerous crimes that he had committed as a death eater and many more since then. Since he and others were going to be kissed their vaults were confiscated. An allowance was made for the family but the rest went in reparations. For Lucius and the other three school governors that meant their ill-gotten gains went into a special vault for underprivileged children attending Hogwarts and other capital projects for the development of the school.

The goblins had done some further inquiries with their dragon mucker outer better known as the former headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Sirius had done some investigation with Remus and they both agreed that if there were more than four of these items it could be five or seven items if they were talking magical numbers. The key here was how many of these things did old Moldyshorts gotten round to making before his run in with the Potters.

The school had recruited a trained Historian who was going to teach more than just the goblin wars of 200 years ago. Sirius was joining the faculty as the second Transfiguration professor to support Professor McGonagall as she had been made Headmistress and Professor Flitwick was her deputy.

Sirius and the Grangers had come to an agreement that Harry needed to have a stable home life and that by working together the adults were going to provide that to both the children whom they cared for. Grimmauld Place was currently undergoing a major renovation led by Kretcher. The committee of Kretcher, Emma and Sirius were radically addressing the dark home to make it a new home for all of them. They agreed to a joint custody of Harry until he was older and for that they were going to share the house and main family celebrations.

Xxx

It was strange for Harry to be returning to Hogwarts after the Summer he had. He had freedom and he had found a family that truly cared for him. He had connected with Sirius and really felt that he belonged with the Grangers and Hermione. Sirius had reviewed their shopping and helped to kit them out for the 3rd year. He was such a prankster.

In the train compartment there was Neville, Hermione, Harry and Susan Bones. It was strange how he had more friends than before but Harry suspected that this was the result of not having Ron round. It seemed that Ron was angry with Hermione and Harry for the whole media circus that had occurred when the abuse case had gone to court. He was also apparently in trouble cause it was Hermione's family that had he had fled to not Ron's.

There had been a terse note from the boy to both of his best friends and he had said some rather hurtful things. Both Hermione and Harry looked at the compartment door when it opened to be disappointed that it wasn't Ron but his brothers the Twins.

Xxxx

The year settled down and Ron seemed to be talking to the pair of them again but there was not the close friendship that they had before. Everyone seemed to think that Harry and Hermione made a nice couple but the reality was they were best friends more like very close siblings.

The first interesting event of the school year was the storming out of divination of Hermione Granger lets say storming Norman had not a fly on Miss Hermione Jean Granger. Her movement and strategic strikes (several aerial bon mots describing the complete waste of space that was the subject) was spectacular and memorable.

It was not a few weeks later before Harry was speaking to Professor Lupin as his new Head of House about dropping the same subject. His dogfather was there present and supported Harry in his decision to drop the subject as he had picked up Ancient Runes at the start of the year after talking to Sirius during the Summer about his subject selection. Harry felt that he could pick up Arithmancy as he had been good at maths in primary school and could follow Hermione's homework so far. He just could not stand having another lesson were the hippy bat of the divination tower with all her beads and glass balls prophesied his death with as much doom and gloom. It was depressing and he had enough darkness in his life.

Xxxx

The families came together at Christmas and it seemed that some of the Marauder pranks were dusted off to play on a new generation. Dan Granger and Sirius worked together and against each other to play a range of pranks. It was a battle royale between non-magical and magical pranks. At one stage both men were in the dog house with Emma.

Everyone of the Black family joined Remus, the Grangers and Harry in celebrating Christmas in the newly refurbished 12 Grimmauld Place. A key commentary from those who had been there before it was a radical improvement. The trio committee for the redecoration had made it a lovely homey mix of magical and non magical technology and furnishings. Harry was overawed by his new room. Hermione was pretty happy about hers and her mini library. It took some serious orders from Emma to pry Hermione out of the Black Library when she found it. Sirius and Kretcher had removed the dark books to a secure vault and the goblins had been engaged to remove all the dark objects from the house as part of the refurbishment. There were a number of comfortable seats in the Library in which many a night of the Christmas Holidays was found Sirius and Remus talking about old times. Dan and Emma had their own suite of private rooms and they could escape the kids or the rest of the house guests if they wanted. Emma and Andy went into overdrive to make this Christmas the most spectacular event and they with the assistance of the two house elves seemed to have made the high standard they had set themselves.

On Boxing Day there was another party where the Longbottoms, the Bones, Sharpspear and King Ragnor joined with the Grangers and Blacks to share good food and company. Madam Longbottom, Amelia Bones and Sirius had frequently sat together in the Wizengamot as they were working to address some of the archaic pureblood bigoted legislation. The interaction between the goblins and the purebloods had improved thanks to Sirius and Sharpspear and other legislation about the inter magical races were improving.

Madam Longbottom had gotten to known the new Defense against the Dark Arts Professor and recognized that he was highly knowledgeable and skilled in the subject despite his furry little problem as Sirius referred to it. There were plenty of teachers willing to cover his classes and even the bat of the dungeons Severus Snape was not too bad after his release. Severus was required to do community service with the research and development teams at St Mungos and this meant that he could only see the 7th year students. As it was it worked out well Andy took the 5th and 6th years and Narcissa got everyone else. Harry felt that he was grasping the concept of potions more than he had the previous two years.

Draco had warmed up to the Gryffindors over the semester and had not used that detestable word to Hermione. It seemed he was growing up and starting to think for himself. Additionally the interhouse rivalry in the school was considerably restrained to just Quidditch and the House cup. The new social studies subject and the change in ethos thanks to Minerva McGonagall had improved the school environment. The more even mixing of the different houses in the classes had resulted in new friendships and better understanding. Madam Pomfrey was much happier as there was less hexing in the corridors that she had to deal with.

The Grangers in their practice and the consultations with the goblin nation and the school also improved the status of first generation magicals in the wider UK wizarding world. Harry had most of the house quidditch team over during the holiday break and the Twins were brought to Grimmauld Place by their father who seemed to go into overload with the amount of muggle devices he saw. It was then that Emma pointed out that the term Muggle could be seen as highly offensive especially since Arthur was the so called head of a ministry department the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office.

Xxxx

The return to Hogwarts just brought more classes and homework for Harry and Hermione. There were trips to Hogsmead with a bunch of friends from different houses and age groups. Hermione and Harry seemed to survive Valentine's Day but it appeared that there were pranks being shared between the teachers. Professor Lupin went bright red over something Professor Black said to him at the school dinner table. Madams Black and Tonks laughed with Professor McGonagall and it appeared that both male professors were in her dog house.

The school governors had been particularly radical during the year and now were expanding the new ideas to include a parents association to improve intersociety integration. The Grangers were exceptionally active in promoting the improvement of non magical parents inclusion into the world of magic as it would help improve relations between parent and child. With the assistance of Harry the Governors had sold the basilisk carcass off to the goblin nation for a very tidy profit that would help supply the school potions ingredients requirements along with the new refurbishment that was planned in the Summer when the students were off the grounds.

At Easter there was an announcement from Dan and Emma there was going to be a little Granger later in the year. Emma had a Christmas pudding in the oven. Hermione was thrilled at the thought of a younger sibling but it was a little disconcerting as there was going to be a bit of an age gap. Harry seemed to happily accept this latest news for his blended family relatively easily. There was some more gossip that Emma had for the teenagers and it was that Dora Tonks was seeing Remus Lupin. Apparently it started at Christmas and the young Auror was not taking no from the werewolf.

In the Hogwarts Library there had started a mixed house homework group and it was through this that Hermione got to know the Ravenclaw Luna Lovegood much better. Ron had been a prat again to Hermione and Luna and the Twins went out of their way to make their dunderhead of a little brother pay. It was during one of the general study session Luna had mentioned that she was doing some research for her father's summer project to build a replica of the Ravenclaw Diadem that caught Hermione's attention. Talking more to the Ravenclaw girl Hermione found out that the Diadem had been lost for quite a while but the Grey Lady the Ravenclaw ghost was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw.

So it was on one Sunday afternoon she knocked on Sirius's office door to advise him about the Ravenclaw Diadem. Dobby was spending his time between the Grangers and Harry but this afternoon he was with Kretcher having afternoon tea with Sirius. Hermione joined the afternoon tea party and brought up the fact that Moldyshorts might have used the diadem for one of his cursed objects. There was a bit of brainstorming between the four of them when Dobby mentioned it could be hidden in the Come and Go room. After being taken there Sirius thought he should have a chat to Minerva and Dan about sorting out the contents of the come and go room.

The Black professors with the assistance of mainly Remus, Severus, Minerva and Dora Tonks worked their way through the mountain of old possessions in the Room of Requirement to the great delight of many including Madam Price thanks to the number of Library books they returned to her care. The old broomsticks were carefully identified and some were auctioned off to add more funds to the school scholarship reserves. Eventually the cursed item was found and a goblin team came in to remove it and several other dark items that were found in the room.

Other objects in the school were identified that raised concern for student safety and that included the single vanishing cabinet. With some investigation Dora advised that Bergen and Burkes had the other cabinet and Sirius asked Kretcher to purchase it for 12 Grimmauld Place. The Hogwarts cabinet was placed in Sirius rooms in the castle.

Sitting on the train back to London at the end of the School Year Harry and Hermione both reflected on how much their lives had changed since the start of the last summer.


	15. Life Moves On

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Life Moves on**

The next couple of school years and summers saw much change in the magical world and the blended family of the Black and Grangers. When Harry, Hermione and Draco graduated from 7th year there were a number events over the summer before the two young men entered the Auror Corps and Hermione headed off to University come the 1st of September.

There had been love in the potions lab and Nacissa had remarried Severus Snape, the former friend of her ex-husband. Draco had a couple of half brothers now as the Snape twins were just one and causing chaos. The Grangers Christmas pudding turned out to be another set of twins who were almost four years old and following the advice of redheaded pair of twins and creating absolute chaos for everyone. Emma was pregnant again so Dan would have another little girl come November. Dora Tonks and Remus had finally got hitched in Harry and Hermione's fifth year and had a little boy who was six months old called Teddy. Harry and Hermione were the proud godparents for this little boy.

Life had certainly changed in 12 Grimmauld Place as the buildings to either side of the house had been brought and now the garden centered cul-de-sac was becoming a Black Family enclave. Emma and Dan had brought another one of the houses in the place and it was currently being refurbished. Andy and Ted were in number 11 while the Snapes were in number 13. The Weasley Twins had each purchased another one of the Georgian Houses in the last 12 months and as distant Black cousins they counted as part of making Grimmauld Place a Black Family enclave.

Sirius was still busy with the school and the Wizengamot but everyone seemed to be trying to set him up as he had the responsibility to carry on the family line. He had named Harry as his heir when the boy was born but it appeared that several generations of women were on his case to find a wife and have his own family. There were times in the last couple of years he felt it was not fair that he had house elves, goblins and humans all harping at him about continuing the family line.

Sirius had been back on the dating scene since he had been cleared but he was constrained by his school responsibilities and the time he spent in the Wizengamot. Added to that he had been focusing on the raising of Harry. It was strange to go out on the lash with his godson and second cousin. He was feeling a little older when Dan Granger seemed to be getting a little younger thanks to the 3 year old twins. Dan and Remus both had a common link of children but Sirius found that he was loosing the common links. The Grangers had moved out into their own house during the summer even though Hermione still had the room at 12 Grimmauld Place. Life was changing and he was feeling a little lost.

The threat of Moldyshorts seemed to have moved on after the finding of the Guant family ring by the Gringotts as they went through all the information that their dung shoveler had provided them with. Bill Weasley had married Fleur Delacour a witch who he had met thanks to his brother Charlie and the Triwizard Tournament that was run in Harry and Hermione's fourth year. Cedric Diggary had won and Hermione had caused a considerable stir when she went to the Yule Ball with Hermione. Hermione was not dating Harry how outrageous was it to the school gossips but everyone moved on and the seasons kept changing.

Harry had hooked up with Ginny Weasley in the 6th year and the young couple appeared to be going strong. Meanwhile Hermione was supposed to be dating this male or that male but it seemed her extended family kept putting the kybosh on her relationships. She was looking forward to Uni hopefully she would get away from the fish tank that was the Granger Black Potter extended family.

Xxxx

There was a black tie ball for Harry's 17th on July 31st organized by Andy and Narcissa at the behest of Sirius. This old pure blood tradition was attended by a mix of magical people and non magicals as well. Hermione had been shopping with Tonks and Narcissa in the magical Parisian shopping district and she had a dress that certainly would knock the shocks off most red blooded males. As part of her plan for university she had cut her hair short into a sprite pixie cut a la Audrey Hepburn. Sirius had been busy all week with the Wizengamot and it was a shock for him to see Hermione walk down the stairs to make her entrance to the ballroom. When had she grown up? The 13yr old was now an 18yr old stunner who was turning would be turning 19 in September.

At the ball Hermione danced with many of her male friends from Hogwarts when she was taking a break and enjoying some of Sirius finest champagne with Draco. "So no women for Draco Black to faun over?" inquired Hermione. "No although the Madam Parkinson still wants me for her pug of a daughter Pansy. Sometime I am so grateful that father was kissed. If I was forced in a pureblood contract marriage to her I would kill myself," he advised her.

The two were trading gossip on the various couples when Dan Granger came and stole his daughter so he could have a spin with her. Emma was not up to dancing the light fantastic with him so the next best thing was his pumpkin. Steven and Martin had been the second surprise for the couple after finding out that Emma was pregnant following their first Grimmauld Place Christmas. Now they were expecting another little girl in November and their oldest little girl was heading out into the big wild world. As Dan danced with his was daughter he thought it was probable that the next time he danced like this with her would be at her wedding and he became a little maudlin at the thought.


	16. Post Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Post Hogwarts**

Hermione was absolutely loving Uni and her double degree in potions and chemistry. The coursework and lab time required her to be super organized and she got on with the work rather joining all the party animals on a Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night in the local Oxford bars and clubs. She had a heavy course load and so she needed to keep on top she really did not get much time off to goof oof. Hermione had made some new friends but she felt that she was more mature than most of them and she wasn't at Uni to babysit. There were flirtations and she enjoyed some of the attention from magical and non magical students of both sexes but there was nothing in it but light hearted bantering and fun. She watched her peers pair or trio up with partners but she did not find the mythical life partner.

Coming home to her new sister and her younger brothers in the first Summer was a little disconcerting. She was in a new house and it appeared that she really did not have much of connection with what was going on in the world hear in Grimmauld Place. She felt disjointed and very very lost. She was no longer a child but she was not really an adult in the eyes of her parents. Everyone seemed to keep treating her as a secondary school student.

It got to the point that she could not stand the kindergarten atmosphere of her parents new home that Hermione retreated to 12 Grimmauld Place and the comfort of her old room there and the wonderful Black library. After one week of reading and ignoring the world Hermione had enough as she was bored out of her brain. She needed to be working on something so she went to see Kretcher to see if he had something that she could do. It turned out that when entering the kitchen that Kretcher was not alone as Sharpspear was visiting the elderly elf. It was over tea when it came out that Hermione was feeling a little lost and bored during her summer break and she needed something to do. With that Sharpspear decided that she could be put to work for the Goblin Nation in the Gringotts brewing room.

Hermione now had a summer job and it provided a new insight into potions that she learnt about goblin brewing and how the potions designed for one nation could effect or harm other species. There were also opportunities for further research and Hermione's marvelously large brain was engaged. Things settled down at home as she had some intelligent conversation and she got into playing with her siblings after a long day at work. It was a good time for Hermione and she mended the gap that had formed between herself and her parents at the start of the summer break.

Hermione returned to university for the second year with a greater depth of potion knowledge and it helped with her Chemistry as well. She was more relaxed as she was more confident her knowledge and its application. Hermione had made some good friends amongst the Goblin potioneers and she had joined their professional society as well as the Magical Potioneers as a student member. The participation in these groups helped in her social skills and she developed both academic and social friendships that were separate from her school and family associations.

The Granger Dental practice had now expanded to a wellness and health centre were they provided a number of treatment options and those who wanted to practice cross seeded practice were recruited. This primary care centre had expanded and there was also a number of student practitioners who were training in more than one world method of practice. There was even a Goblin Healers section of the practice with an underground link to Diagon Alley, which allowed for those who were of the different magical nations to cross easily into the non magical world. The fact that this centre was willing to treat the whole range of magical and non magical persons had meant that St Mungo's had lost some of their prestige even though several donations had been made to encourage them to change the discriminatory practices against the different races. Discrimination was still prevalent within the institution. The legislation while making it illegal for the discrimination to occur did not mean that it was not happening particularly in large organisations like St Mungo's.

St Mungos needed a radical shake up like what had happened to Hogwarts and the Wizengamot. There were a number of individuals who were all looking for the opportunity to pounce on this backward institution. Severus Snape was one of the insiders who was gathering evidence and helping the Goblin Nation project team to find those who could be trusted and those who needed further study.

Sirius during the last year had been seen at different social functions with a number of witches but did not seem to have a permanent relationship with any of them much to the annoyance of the Black extended family who were putting considerable pressure for him to settle down and make his own family. Andy even suggested a surrogate for him as an option if he did not want a witch but preferred a wizard. To say Sirius was most offended was a little bit of an understatement and he proceeded to tear through the fan witches and the Chelsea Knightsbridge models that fluttered about in the society haunts with a great deal of knots. He was seen at all the places to be seen. The press both magical and non magical just lapped up his antics and he was featured regularly in the social columns with another witch or long legged model type. Sometimes it was a blonde, others it was brunette, and there were of course red heads in there as well.

The second summer was a better time for Hermione as she returned to the Goblin potioneers and was working on a joint project that would be invaluable for her 3rd year Honours dissertation. The families were increasing and it appeared that there was a third girl on the way for the Grangers and both Narcissa and Dora Tonks Lupin were pregnant again. Ginny had started the Healers program when she graduated from Hogwarts and now had completed the first of her four year program. Draco and Harry were both fully qualified junior Aurors who seemed to be doing well in the MLE. Ron however, was a different story and appeared to be regularly facing the wrath of Molly for his lazy ways. He was still living at home and the rest of the family had all moved out to their own digs.

There was some joy in the Weasley clan as there were new grandchildren and a couple of weddings to occur this summer as the twins were getting hitched to Angela and Katie their former Gryffindor quidditch team mates. A second house in the Black Cul-de-sac had been purchased and the former batchelor pad were both being refurbished for their brides. The double wedding at the end of the Summer was a grand lavish event and there were concerns that Molly was going to drive the brides and grooms mad with her organisation of the event. Arthur took Molly off to two weeks on the Isle of Mann after the wedding, which was a great relief to everyone as it allowed them to calm down after her furious organisation of everyone and everything over the last couple of weeks.

It was during Hermione's third year of university in the first semester when Tom Riddle managed to get himself captured. His fund sources had dried up and the former feared leader of the Death Eaters actually had to step into Diagon Alley to go to the goblin bank. As soon as the teller staff identified the man he was taken into custody by the Goblins. He was stupid enough to attempt to fire off a couple of hexes and he was separated from his wand and wand hand courtesy of a slash from a goblin axe. The trial of Thomas Riddle was held in the Ministry of Magic and there were a high number charges added to the man's charge sheet. He was interrogated using Veritaserum and the list of horcruxes where identified.

The Goblin nation following the details from the trial went on the hunt for a certain snake and enjoyed a rather large bbq when the meat of the cobra Nagini was shared with most of the Goblin nation. At the sentencing of Tom Riddle he was Kissed and thrown through the veil like many of his supporters who were too dangerous to keep in Azkaban. With so many of the former death eaters in custody or now executed there was little support in the magical community for the Pure Blood Supremacist Politics and the changes that had occurred in the last couple of years had caused a radical development of the thinking of the magical society.

Hermione was looking forward to coming home to Grimmauld Place for the Christmas break as Harry had advised that he and Ginny were going to get married on Christmas Eve in a small private wedding at 12 Grimmauld Place. Sirius did not even know. Harry was going to be surprising everyone and Ginny had been hiding a engagement ring for a couple of months so she was not dragged into the wedding planning drams of her mother going overboard. After the Twins wedding Ginny and Harry had learnt their lesson and were following Charlie's lead in a way. Charlie had eloped and presented his son as part of his announcement that helped to deflect the ire of his mother, Molly.


	17. Decorating the Tree

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Decorating the Tree**

Hermione arrived back in Grimmauld Place on the 22nd of December and was promptly dragged into the last minute preparation for Christmas that were a cover for the Christmas Eve wedding by Ginny. She got to do some sitting of the younger sprogs and a very very late night after the twins were finally abed doing the obligatory present wrapping so the kinders did not find their presents in her room and spoil their surprise pressies from Santa Claus. Looking at the weather forecast there was a high chance of snow for London which while being a complete pain in the arse for the non magical population but it would put the final decorative touch for the seasonal wedding.

Everyone had been called in from far and wide to attend a special Christmas Eve Dinner Celebration at 12 Grimmauld Place. The Elves had gone into overdrive and the hype was on. The tree was dressed during drinks and when the Star had been put on the top of the 12 foot tree Harry stepped up to the front of the tree gathering everyone's attention.

"Well there is one more task we have to do before we go into Dinner and I would like your assistance in witnessing the binding of Ginny and I."

With that Ginny entered the formal Lounge room in a spectacular winter themed wedding gown. She had white fur as a simple decoration at the hem, cuffs and neckline. Molly went into a fit of shock so Ginny slapped a calming spell followed by a bed restraint spell on her so she was required to stay on the sofa she was on and just watch the whole event. Kretcher welcomed the Ministerial Bonder and under the tree the two of them said their vows of devoation supported by Hermione and Sirius as their primary supporting witnesses. This wedding had an assortment of guest as there were elves, goblins and humans from the magical and non magical world.

The Christmas Eve Dinner became the wedding reception and the family and friends all kicked on. The children where put down for a sleep for those like the Grangers would be going to Midnight Mass. Over the years many of the magicals in the cul-de-sac had joined in the tradition. It was really quite a sight to see the newly wed couple walk into the small local church with its traditional wooden pews. Listening to the carols and hearing the words of hope and joy for the season Hermione felt sad and little jealous of her friends obvious happiness. Both were glowing with joy and looking round the guests who had joined in the celebration evening there were many who were paired up. Being a single in the middle of a crowd of paired up individuals can be particularly soul destroying.

Returning back to Grimmauld Place there was a round of Hot Chocolate for all that may or may not have a little bit of spike in it depending on the age of the individual and if they were pregnant or not. The first gifts were given to all the children and the stockings were all hung on the fireplace. Everyone had agreed to opening the presents at 12 Grimmauld Place as it had become tradition for the Black Grangers to have everyone in the house on Christmas Day. Thanks to the trail of Death Eaters there were more house elf helpers in all the families houses and all these elves came under the command of the majordomo Kretcher. Christmas was a well oiled machine and like Claridges "spontaneity was extremely well planned in advance".

During the Christmas Day Hermione found that she was often with Sirius and they had a fun time as the only single adults at the family celebration. The Monopoly competition got underway after lunch and all were in for young and old. The children were paired up with an elf and goblin so that there was no unfair advantage when playing and it could be seen that several of the extended Black family well versed in the ability to be ruthless and the achievement of profit. Sharpspear thought this game was wonderful and he planned to introduce it to his own children when they were old enough. Emma stepped up to the role of hostess and ordered everyone back into the formal dining room where supper was going to be served. Lets be honest here it really was dessert as everyone was stuffed to the bowlines over the Lunch's main course. This supper was really a form of high Afternoon tea with cakes and sandwiches. The fillings for the sandwiches utilized the left overs from the roast joints. The prix d'excellence was the flaming plumb pudding that Kretcher escorted into the dining room receiving a round of applause. The assembly line of Emma, Kretcher and Dobby then proceeded to ensure that everyone had a piece of pud along with their preferred accompaniments. Some loved the traditional plain egg custard some preferred the addition of brandy cream while others went with vanilla ice cream or the completely boring according to Sirius individuals like Hermione went with the thickened cream while he went with a combination of the lot.

After the supper the adults retired to the lounge where many were contemplating their navels while the digestion of the second large meal of the day was underway. The younger ones were amused with a DVD movie in the Entertainment room and the watchful eye of a couple of mothers who were content to say with their youngsters.

Xxx

By the end of the Christmas holidays Hermione found she was feeling something different about Sirius and when she returned to university she shook it off as too much brandy and an excessive amount of alcohol consumption.

Xxx

The change in Sirius and Hermione's demeanor and attitudes between each other had not gone unnoticed but as Andy identified they were both very intelligent while being totally pig headed. Stubborn was too simple a word to define the frustration that all had experienced with them.

Emma had broached the idea that Sirius and Hermione would be a good match with Andy on Boxing Day when she dropped over for a post Christmas Black Granger Mothers union chat. Narcissa joining them agreed that Hermione would challenge Sirius but her stubborn cousin was likely to bow out of the arrangement as he would be all Gryffindorish and say he was too old and unsuitable for the young lady.

The scheming women agreed that forcing their opinions on the pair would not work they would have to use the oldest tricks in the book to catch the pair into a match.

XXx

After Hermione's return to university for her last semester Emma Granger informed Dan that the Black ladies and herself believed that Sirius would be a good boyfriend for Hermione. You can imagine how that went down a little like a lead balloon. Then the scheming mother pointed out that she would match him for interllect while they were quite friendly as it is now. Dan's pumpkin was growing up and he did not want to admit that to himself even though he now had four children under ten. He had the imps of Steven and Martin along with Imogen and the new addition Emilia. Hermione had put the kibosh on some of the other Shakespearean names they had looked at for the girls and she had played why not follow your father's names for the twins. As a good elder sister she was trying to protect her siblings from the slings and arrows of having a really uncommon name that most of the world could not get it right. She got Ophelia and Perdita kicked to the sidelines so Imogen and Emilia were not bad for the girls.


	18. Easter

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 18: Easter.**

Hermione was not coming home for the Easter Holidays as she was in that exam revision frenzy along with the final proofing of her double dissertation. Single Honours had the small minutely unfair titchy word count of a maximum of 10,000 words while double degree candidates were required a minimum of 18,000 to 20,000. Hells bells her print out was going to kill a forest thought Hermione since she had to submit 5 copies that were all required to be professionally bound.

The Easter weekend was coming up and Hermione was looking forward to collapsing in her digs for the long weekend with just Crookshank's for company and enjoying the weekend in her pjs. She was not getting up and dressed for anyone.

Xxxx

It was about 3pm on Good Friday when Hermione's plans went out the window with the arrival of Sirius at her front door and slab of hot cross buns.

"Why are you here?" she crankily asked as she answered the door in her pjs.

"I see that you are being the typical uni student slob and dressing in your pjs for all hours. I am claiming asylum from the meddling notions of my cousins and your mother. They all seem to want to get me hitched and if I stayed in Grimmauld for the Easter weekend you bet your last galleon I would be presented with yet another possible candidate at every meal by one or the other of the them. They have been setting me up left right and centre. They have even roped in Harry, Remus and the Twins. Well the Twins are taking the total piss out of me. So will you protect me for the weekend and allow me to stay here for the long weekend," he pleaded his case with those grey puppy eyes that he had pulled on so many for when he wanted his own way.

"Couch there. Remote control there. Fridge there leave me enough milk for breakfast and everything else is fair game. We will have to shop tomorrow for food anyway. See yah make yourself at home. Spare key is on the hook near the fridge I am going back to bed." With that the witch returned to her nice warm bed and the comfort of Morpheus wings.

Xxxx

When she arose it was about 8pm and got jibbed at by Sirius who was channel hopping. It seemed that he had made himself confortable in her lounge and obviously had been into her DvD collection.

"Not much of a good hostess are you?" he drawled at her.

"I did not invite you. You are not a guest you are an individual whom I have given temporary asylum to and that means I don't have to entertain you. If you want to be fed be nice to the cook."

It was fascinating for Sirius to watch Hermione move round her small kitchen. He had investigated it earlier and found it to be pretty bare but she whipped up a pretty fabulous artichoke pasta dish that was deliciously filling without being heavy. He really had not missed meat in the meal but he asked any way why she had not used any in the meal.

"It is Good Friday typically a day of fast and traditionally the day of fish or total vegetarianism for many Christians. It is only since the mid1960s that the Catholics round the world had given up this tradition for every Friday but many maintained the tradition for Easter as per the current Vatican teachings." Apparently Hermione's family while following the Catholic tradition had also adopted a pragmatic view of religion considering this Church did not accept readily individuals like Hermione. Witchcraft was a problematic issue with the Catholic Church like many other formalized traditional religions.

Sirius got put on dish duty and Hermione took herself off with a large mug of tea back to her bed and her book. She had brought out the sheets and pillows for Sirius leaving them on the end of the couch for him. He could make his own bed he was old enough as it was and if she knew her mother he would have been house trained during the time they shared 12 Grimmauld Place with him.

Getting up early on Saturday morning Hermione came into the kitchen to find that there were only four hot cross buns left from the slab of 24 that had arrived with Sirius the day before. She had caught up with some of her missing hours of sleep that she had lost over the last couple of weeks thanks to the mad dash of the final run down to the submission date on Holy Thursday for the dissertations. Now she just had to cram for her finals that were starting in two weeks time.

After breakfast Hermione showered and got dressed for the day in a comfortable pair jeans, tshirt and university hoddie. Sirius got a shock when she came out and threw a towel at him advising him he needed to clean up. She really wasn't a little girl anymore she was a beautiful young woman. Under the shower Sirius made another realization that he had been out with young women who were even younger than the witch he had known for the eight years. While shaving he looked at himself in the mirror and thought he was old letch.

The two asylum seekers went shopping and had laugh in the chaos that was a long weekend public holiday supermarket premises. The rest of the weekend were rounds of quiet study mixed up with bouts of laughter when Sirius managed to drag Hermione away from her books to enable her brain to rest. The two developed an easy companionship and their friendship seemed to be closer. No longer was it an adult and child but rather it had moved to being two adults. On the Tuesday Sirus took himself back to 12 Grimmauld Place to face the wrath of all the Black-Granger-Potter women.

Hermione continued to do her duck impression of head down and bum up while she sat her final exams not really paying to close an attention to the dates of external events outside the world of her university career. She was returning home to her digs after completing her exams and to find the Auror Tonks Lupin sitting on her front stoop.

"Why are you here?" inquired Hermione automatically going into panic mode think that something was wrong with the family.

"Official business the Wizengamot has summons you to attend a court session today and you did not do so. I am here to collect you for them and investigate the reason for your blatant contempt of the magical court system" the Auror advised before giving her a grin. "So what was the reason?"

At this point Miss Hermione Granger proceeded to explain with the use of wide vocabulary of expletives that she had not received any summons from the Wizengamot. Opening the front door to her digs Hermione and Tonks observed the total chaos that was in front of them. There was paper, feathers, a number of severely pissed off owls, guano, broken knickknacks, bookshelves over turned, books littered around with a proud as punch cat on the hunt sitting smack in the middle of everything.

The stressed out witch proceeded to burst into tears and Tonks was wondering what she was going to do with weepy witch. It was a speed dial to Emma and reinforcements was sent from Grimmauld Place. Minutes later there at the front door was Sirius who came in and proceeded to make tea before sitting next to the weepy witch who was sniveling against a kitchen cabinet. "So how is tricks Kitten. You look like shite! At least this time you haven't been in your pjs all day but woo wee you need a dunk under a shower. Here drink your tea. Tonks pass her that tea towel. Wipe your snoz".

Once tea had been drunk and Hermione had been convinced to shower. The two Black cousins put the world to order in the living room. Chrooks was stunned and put in his cat carrier. Kretcher was summoned to pop the naughty cat back to Sirius' house. Tonks was ordered to find some clean clothes and pack for the witch. The witch concerned had another melt down when she got out of the shower.

"I have to pack everything up cause my lease is up next week I can go high tailing to muck around at the beck and call of the Wizengamot."

"Don't worry Hermione the extended family will sort it out later. Now Tonks and I will meet you at the MLE desk at the Ministry of Magic after locking up" advised Sirius collecting the spare key from its place on the hook. Tonks sidealong appirated the witch concerned to the MLE where she was going to explain do Senior Auror Shacklebolt the findings of her investigation.


	19. Answering the Summons

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Answering the Summons.**

Auror Dora Lupin was in the MLE processing area with one Miss Hermione Granger. Apparently someone had tipped the press of and it was a madhouse. Miss Granger being brought into the MLE addressed for failing to appear before the Wizengamot. Several summonses had been sent out and the witch had snubbed the highest court in the land.

It was with sweat relief that Dora Lupin saw Kingsley Shacklebolt not too far from the prisoner processing area. Unfortunately there was that ministerial toady there with press raking up trouble.

"So Miss Granger you think that your close friendship with Harry Potter means that you can thumb your nose at the rules and regulations of the magical world. How dare you not obey 12 summonses from the Wizengamot? The first was politely worded enough as the committee wanted your assistance in an investigation but you ended up proving the point that Muggle borns are uncouth tinkers thieves who shouldn't have access to magic", the pink toady proceeded to rant and rave at the failing of the witch.

The screeching woman was just the last thing Hermione needed her head was banging and she was sure she had just failed her finals. Three years hard work had just been flushed down the tube and now she had some other crap to deal with on top everything else. Hermione was starting to shut down and become silent. Silence would not help her in the interview but there would be no one there to help her depressed mind cycled through her brain.

Mean while Dora managed to get Hermione out of the processing area and into a secure investigation room. At least it would be private for a moment while she tried to sort what was going on. Auror Lupin at least had some idea of what was happening and most certainly be calling on Lord Sirius Orion Black as her head of house for some retribution. This was obviously some type of Wizengamot factional power play had decided to pick off individuals who caused them trouble via their friends and associates. She could she how the gifted young witch with her close friendship and the hidebound traditionalists could see family links as a threat and detriment to their society. Attacking Hermione Granger was one manner in which this faction could hurt Sirius and the other reformers.

After finally tracking down Shacklebolt to his private office Dora Lupin was allowed to give her report on the why Miss Granger had not attended the Wizengamot's summons and the devastation they had found in the house. Dora also all the summons that were sent to Hermione entered into the evidence locker. Some further back room investigation was going to be needed. Suddenly an intraoffice ministerial memo arrived in Shacklebolt's office and it appeared that Lord Black was at the desk in the company of a lawyer asking after the welfare of young Miss Hermione Granger.

Going out the front Dora Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt both played the straight as the die Aurors that they were especially with the press listening on.

It was a shock for Shacklebolt when he saw who the lawyer was. It was a goblin but not just any old goblin it was the current king of the goblin nation Ragnor. The young witch certainly had friends in high places and those that pick a punch. Where the heck were Ragnor's guards? I hope to goodness no one does anything stupid or we could have the next goblin war here in a heartbeat. Merlin and Morgana! Things were definitely FUBAR!

"Ah Goblin Nation Lawyer I welcome you to Magical Law Enforcement. Can I ask you Lord Sirius Black and Sir Lawyer to sign into the official visitors register with the desk Auror here and I will take you through so you can consult with your client? I will have to interview her of course for the initial investigation but I believe you realise she has to stay in custody and be brought before the Wizengamot when they call for her", he said explaining the situation outline as he say it while walking the lawyer and her family representative through the paces. The whole world was going up in a hand basket.

Opening the interview room Shacklebolt lead the visitors in to see the young witch. She looked utterly dejected.

"Hello Kitten" drawled Sirius trying to get her cheer up.

"Hello Dog father" she morosely replied not even bothering to lift her head to observe the second individual entering the room.

"Greetings Friend! May your coffers be plentiful and your enemies be dead".

She flicked her head up in surprise to regard the King of the Goblin nation in almost civvies for him. There was no guard. Sirius gave her a wink. Regarding the two way mirrored window behind him Hermione thought she better play this cagy as the goblin king did not have his guards with him and he was in the Ministry.

"Greetings Friend! May your sword be sharp and enemy's be blunt", she greeted him. Ah Hermione the cheeky otter from all those years ago still knew when to play her cards close to her chest.

Kingsley had left the room to allow the lawyer to confer with his client in preparation for the interview. As soon as he shut the door he sent out his patronus demanding that Tonks Lupin get to the interview ASAP.

It turned out that his lynx did not have to travel far as it seemed that Dora was in the nearby Ladies. After stepping out she gave Shacklebolt a nod of her head to go into the observation room. The lawyer had obviously put up a privacy spell.

Dora put her own privacy spell up and gave him some more low down of the whispers she had gathered in the back office rooms and in via the ladies toilet network. Apparently you could get some very good Intel from women when they gossiped in the bathroom, as they did not just use the facilities for dealing with bodily wastes. Dora and some of the other former members of the Order of Phoenix had developed a network of ministry informants that did not realise that they were being utilized in this manner.

It turned out that Madam Dolores Umbridge had felt belittled by the whole trial process that cleared Sirius. Added to this feeling of belittlement the pink robed toad like woman had seemed to be moved side ways in the Ministry. With all the changes that Sirius and the reformers have pushed through the Wizengamot has also effected her prospects to move up the ranks. Removing the Death Eaters from the Ministry and their pureblood funding to the corrupt politicians and ministry employees meant that Madam Umbridge no longer had the political supportive powerbase within the Ministry. Her sideways move through various departments has resulted in an every increasing downwards spiral for the woman. Now she was going out for her revenge and a play to return the magical world back to her preferred status quo.

So how were these two Aurors going to communicate their information to Sirius and at the same time get enough evidence to support the Intel in a court of law? Conjecture was not good enough they needed hard evidence to get the toady and her supporters into court and under veritaserum.

Ok it was time to play a high stakes game of poker.

Xxxx

After knocking on the door the interview room the two Aurors entered as the goblin lawyer dropped the privacy spells.

"Now Miss Granger, I am Senior Auror Shacklebolt and you have already know Auror Lupin. We would like to have an initial discussion with you the reasons why you did not attend or address any of the summons to appear before the Wizengamot."

There was no response the woman was looking blankly at him.

"Hermione can you please say something to the Auror to acknowledge that you have heard him" prompted the lawyer.

"Yes" was the near whisper.

"Auror Shacklebolt I believe my client needs medical attention," advised the goblin.

"Tonks call for the duty healer," ordered Kingsley.

While they were waiting for the duty healer to arrive Kingsley locked the group back into the room while he acquired a glass of water for the young woman. Bringing the cup of water back in the room he put down a paper serviette and the large paper cup.

While Sirius encouraged Hermione to sip from the glass of water the dark skinned Auror seemed to impatiently tap on the table as they waited for the duty healer to arrive.

Dora Lupin brought a small green-cloaked woman who seemed to have a lopsided messy bun of white hair.

"So what is it this time" she snapped.

"We are worried about the mental and physical health of the interviewee," explained Dora Lupin.

"Nothing but wasters these criminals are" muttered the witch as she passed a wand of Hermione in diagnosis.

'How dare you? Are you even qualified? Do you know who I am?" shouted Sirius.

"No should I" was the reply.

Sirius drew himself up to his full height and put his most regal tone into the next utterances. " I am Lord Sirius Orion Black and I spent 12 years in Azkaban without a trial. Everyone is to be treated as innocent until they are proven guilty. I will ensure that you lose your medical license if don't start remembering your oaths as a mediwitch" he snapped.

With the mention of his Lordship the woman's whole demeanour had changed. But by now Ragnor was not happy about the whole situation. "Auror Shacklebolt I challenge that the MLE Duty Healer is even a good enough professional to assess the interviewee who has not even been charged as yet.

I demand the right to call our own Healer to assess the welfare of Miss Hermione Granger. As her Legal representative and family friends we will be putting an official complaint in over this whole matter and I for one will be assisting Lord Black in working to remove your duty healer's license to practice if she even has one. I suggest you inform the Director of the MLE what is going on after you have escorted me to a floo so I can call upon a reputable healer."


End file.
